Germany records around 12,500 heat-related deaths so far this year

Around 12,500 people in Germany have died from heat-related causes so far this year, the country's public health institute said Thursday, marking the highest annual toll since records began in 2016.

The figure comes from the Berlin-based Robert Koch Institute’s (RKI) latest report on heat-related mortality, which covers the period from April 6 to August 2.

This means that significantly more people have died from heat-related causes so far this year than in an average full year.

Among the past 10 years, 2018 and 2019 in particular saw a high number of heat-related deaths. In 2018, according to the latest RKI figures, 9,400 people died from heat-related causes: in 2019, the figure was 7,700.

The total number of heat-related deaths this year could be even higher than reported. According to the RKI, this is just a conservative estimate.

There were particularly high numbers of heat-related deaths this year in the two German states of Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate. Heat-related mortality in the two states stood at 43.4 and 38.7 deaths per 100,000 residents, respectively. Nationwide, the figure was 15 per 100,000 residents.

Heat takes highest toll among elderly

Heat is particularly dangerous for older people. About 6,300 deaths, were registered among those aged 85 and older.

More than 3,100 of the people who died were between 75 and 84 years old, and just under 1,900 were between 65 and 74. About 1,200 deaths were registered among people under 65.

The severe heat wave in late June also had a significant impact. The RKI estimates that around 9,600 people died from heat-related causes during the week of June 22–28 alone. In many parts of Germany, temperatures during those days hovered around 40C (104F).

According to the RKI, a heat-related increase in mortality typically becomes apparent when the weekly average temperature reaches 20C (68F), calculated using daily and nighttime temperatures over the course of a week. During the week of July 27 through Aug. 2, the nationwide weekly average temperature was 21.6C (70.9F).