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WHO urges Europe: Heatwave kills 3,700, plans lacking

7/7/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The WHO held a call with 41 European countries and the European Commission on heat-health preparedness.
Hans Kluge warned fewer than half of WHO members have heat-health action plans while temperatures in Portugal and southern Spain are forecast to reach 43 °C this week.
The June 20-28 heatwave caused about 3,700 excess deaths in France, the Netherlands and Belgium and left residents, homeless people and older adults insufficiently reached.

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Story summary

The WHO held a call with 41 European countries and the European Commission on heat-health preparedness.
Hans Kluge warned fewer than half of WHO members have heat-health action plans while temperatures in Portugal and southern Spain are forecast to reach 43 °C this week.
The June 20-28 heatwave caused about 3,700 excess deaths in France, the Netherlands and Belgium and left residents, homeless people and older adults insufficiently reached.