Europe Lacks Heat Plans, Says WHO, as Germany Logs Deadliest Summer Week in 25 Years
Published on 07/09/2026 at 12:24 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
The World Health Organization has sharply criticised European countries for failing to prepare for extreme heat, as new figures show Germany experienced its deadliest summer week in more than a quarter of a century. According to preliminary data from Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) and estimates from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), 23,665 people died in calendar week 26 (22–28 June) — a 28% jump from the previous week. That translates into 5,655 excess deaths compared with the 2022–2025 average for the same period, pushing mortality 47% above the long-term mean.
The death spike coincided with extreme weather. The German Weather Service recorded 41.8°C in Möckern-Drewitz, a new all-time high, and June was the second-warmest month since records began. While proving a direct causal link between heat and individual fatalities is difficult, the statistical correlation is widely accepted by experts.
The RKI estimates that roughly 5,100 heat-related deaths occurred nationwide between April and 28 June, with 4,310 of those concentrated in the final week of the month. For context, the institute had estimated only 560 heat-related deaths in the early summer of 2025. The elderly were hardest hit: of the 5,100 victims, 2,950 were aged 85 or older, 1,320 were between 75 and 84, and around 300 were under 65. Pregnant women, infants, young children and people with pre-existing conditions are also considered at risk. Common medical emergencies during extreme heat include sunstroke, heatstroke and severe dehydration.
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In North Rhine-Westphalia, prosecutors are examining a specific cluster. At St. Remigius Hospital in Leverkusen, 12 patients with an average age of 86 died between 26 and 29 June. The Cologne public prosecutor’s office is investigating whether the deaths are linked to the heatwave and whether third-party negligence was involved. Political representatives in the state parliament have called for a special session.
Patient protection groups are demanding a €30 billion investment programme to improve heat protection for vulnerable people. In Cologne, emergency care centres were set up during the heatwave week.
WHO Europe Director Hans Kluge noted that fewer than half of the region’s countries have national heat-health action plans. Preliminary WHO data suggests the June heatwave caused more than 4,000 excess deaths across Western Europe, prompting a crisis call involving 41 countries.
Infrastructure is also under strain. Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder stressed the need to make transport routes more heat-resilient. He said that while motorway damage has become less common thanks to modern materials, the rail network and other transport systems still require upgrades to air conditioning and tracks.
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