Death toll in the heatwave in Belgium exceeds 2 thousand

The Belgian Institute of Public Health (Sciensano) announced that the mortality rate in the country increased by 47.8 percent between June 18 and July 1 compared to the expected normal level. This excess mortality was associated with severe heat that lasted for days and increased ozone levels.

On a regional basis, the highest increase in mortality was seen in the Walloon Region with 76 percent, followed by the Brussels Capital Region with 60.9 percent. On June 27, the deadliest day of the heat wave, a record increase of 146.5 percent was recorded in the daily mortality rate, and 641 more people lost their lives on that day alone.

Institute data reveal that the heat wave seriously affected not only the elderly but also the population under the age of 65. While the mortality rate in this age group increased by 61.3 percent, 280 people lost their lives. Sciensano described the event in question as the most "exceptional" heat wave recorded since 2000.