Health. At least 280 excess deaths recorded during the August heatwave, according to Public Health France

At least 280 more deaths than normal, an excess of around 5%, were recorded in France during the heatwave from August 8 to 19, the second of the summer of 2025, the French public health agency announced on Thursday.

"This excess mortality is only observed among people aged 75 and over," the health agency specifies, recalling that it is still too early to establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between these deaths and the extreme heat. The figures released Thursday by Public Health France provide an initial idea of ​​the mortality linked to this heatwave, which has affected just under half of France, while the negative effects of extreme heat are well documented: risk of dehydration, worsening of cardiovascular problems, etc.

However, this excess mortality may be linked to other causes, such as the one previously announced for the June-July heatwave: Public Health France estimated it at around 480 excess deaths. These calculations are based on all-cause mortality data from civil registry offices and transmitted by INSEE, compared to an expected death figure based on the previous six years, excluding extreme events.

But, already, these initial data "underline the importance of implementing preventive measures to reduce the impact of heat, during heatwaves, but also throughout the summer," warns Public Health France, as heat waves tend to increase in frequency against a backdrop of global warming. Public Health France plans to provide a precise assessment of mortality directly attributable to heat later this fall, not only during heatwaves but also throughout the rest of the summer.