France recorded an excess of 2,025 deaths during the heat wave spanning June 22 to June 28 [1].
This surge in mortality highlights the lethal impact of extreme temperature spikes on the French population, particularly those remaining at home during the peak of the heat.
Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced the figures on Friday, citing data from Santé publique France. Rist said the agency recorded 2,025 additional deaths during that specific week [1].
The reported increase follows a significant spike in overall mortality. Nearly 9,000 deaths were certified electronically from June 22 to June 28 [2], which represents a 29.1% increase compared to the previous week [2].
However, the current data may not represent the full scale of the tragedy. Rist said the figures only cover 60% of death certificates [1] because the current tally relies exclusively on electronic certificates.
Health officials said the extreme heat during the final week of June caused a sharp rise in deaths, with many occurring in residential settings [2]. The reliance on electronic certification means that paper-based records have not yet been integrated into the total count [1].
This gap in data suggests that the final death toll could be higher once all certificates are processed. The government continues to monitor the long-term effects of the June heat wave as it evaluates the effectiveness of its public health response.
“Santé publique France a enregistré 2 025 décès supplémentaires sur la semaine caniculaire du 22 au 28 juin”
The discrepancy between electronic and paper death certificates creates a significant data lag, meaning the initial report of 2,025 excess deaths is likely a conservative estimate. This undercounting is common in the immediate aftermath of climate-driven disasters, but the 29.1% week-over-week increase suggests a severe public health crisis linked to the June 2026 heat wave.
