Deaths in Belgium increased by 39% during June heatwave

Published on 03/07/2026 - 11:53 GMT+2•Updated 11:59

Belgium recorded 39% more deaths than expected between June 18 and 29, as a heatwave gripped much of western Europe.

Provisional data from the country's health ministry showed there were 1,222 excess deaths during the period, with more than half of these people aged 85 or over.

"Such a level of excess mortality during a heatwave is unprecedented in our country," the ministry said in a statement.

It comes as Public Health France announced an increase of 29.1% in the number of deaths in France from 22 to 28 June compared to the week prior.

The agency said on Friday that the figure corresponded to 2,025 additional deaths over the period.

The Île-de-France and Pays de la Loire regions saw the sharpest rises in deaths, up 62.8% and 62% respectively.

Parts of Europe topped 40°C last week, leading to a surge in emergency callouts and putting extra strain on hospitals.

Hot weather looks set to return to the continent in the coming days, with temperatures in the mid-30°C range possible in parts of France moving into next week.

Things are expected to stay a bit cooler in Belgium, with highs of 26°C and 27°C forecast on Sunday and Monday.