In July, twelve percent more people probably died in Germany due to the heat than the average for the years 2018 to 2021. This is the result of a projection published by the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden on Tuesday.
A total of 85,285 deaths were counted;
9130 more than the average.
As in June, the number of deaths increased, especially in phases of very high temperatures, it said.
In calendar weeks 28, 29 and 30 (July 11 to 31) they were well above the comparative values with a respective increase of 16, 24 and 14 percent.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, the fact that the number of deaths increases during heat waves is a well-known effect.
In 2022, however, an unusually large number of weeks will be affected by the end of July.
The corona pandemic therefore had a smaller effect.
A comparison of the total number of deaths with the number of Covid 19 deaths is currently only possible up to and including July 17, according to the Federal Office.
In the week from July 11th to 17th, 508 corona deaths were reported.
The total number of deaths in the 28th calendar week was 2525 cases above the average value of the four previous years.
In Italy, too, more people have died in recent months due to the persistent heat.
In July alone, the death rate rose by 21 percent, as reported by the newspaper La Repubblica, citing the Italian Ministry of Health.
As early as June, the death rate in the 33 cities monitored was nine percent higher than expected.
Temperatures across the country have been 3.2 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average since May, according to the report.
The highest values are mainly recorded in the cities of central Italy.
According to the data, the mortality rate in June rose particularly sharply in Latina (up 72 percent) and Viterbo (up 52 percent) near Rome, in Bari in Apulia (up 56 percent), in Cagliari in Sardinia (up 51 percent) and in Catanzaro in Calabria ( plus 48 percent).
In the Italian capital, it rose 10 percent in May, 13 percent in June, and 28 percent in July.