PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) – France recorded 5,764 excess deaths between June 17 and July 2 when the country was hit by heatwaves, the national health agency reported on Wednesday.
Health Minister Stephanie Rist had originally estimated the excess deaths in late June at 2,025.
• The count, which includes all deaths regardless of their cause, represents a 36% excess mortality during the period, the agency said.
• More than half of the excess deaths were recorded between June 25 and June 27.
• The deaths of people aged 75 and older represented about two-thirds of the excess mortality.
• The tally is still preliminary and final data will be available at the end of summer.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro, Editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout and Sharon Singleton)
