Key Points

• A heat wave began on August 5, when Météo-France issued a yellow alert for 32 departments. Starting on August 6, several departments were placed under an orange alert in 8 regions and under a red alert in 3 regions. The red alerts were lifted on August 12, and all orange alerts were lifted on August 13.

• Healthcare utilization (emergency room visits and SOS Médecins calls) for heat-related causes increased between August 6 and August 11 across all age groups, reaching 0.90% of emergency room activity and 1.81% of SOS Médecins activity on August 11 (composite health indicator tracked as part of the national heat wave management plan, iCanicule).

• Since August 12, healthcare utilization for heat-related causes has been declining. By August 17, it had returned to the levels observed before the heat wave (0.26% of emergency department visits and 0.30% of SOS Médecins calls on August 17).

• Between August 6 and August 16, 2,413 emergency room visits and 858 SOS Médecins consultations for heat-related causes were recorded. More than half of the emergency room visits for heat-related causes resulted in hospitalization, and 23 people were admitted to intensive care and resuscitation units.

• No fatal workplace accidents were reported to Santé publique France.

• The health impacts observed here demonstrate that heat poses a health risk. It is important to implement the preventive measures recommended by the national heat wave management plan.