Key Points

• As of 4:00 p.m. on June 23, 2017, 7 departments are under an orange alert and 18 under a yellow alert. The previous day, at 4:00 p.m. on June 22, 2017, 47 departments were under an orange alert and 28 under a yellow alert.

• The heat wave that has been ongoing since June 18 is expected to end on Sunday, June 25. Ozone levels are also decreasing, and the information and recommendation threshold is not expected to be exceeded, or only very occasionally. Given the drop in temperatures, indicators for PLC are expected to stabilize and then decrease in the coming days.

• The current heat wave is unusual in terms of its intensity, extent, and early onset, making it all the more dangerous to health. Unusual episodes have been occurring since 2015 (early and late episodes) and have no historical precedent.

• On June 22, 2017, 391 emergency room visits and 294 SOS Médecins consultations for Heat-Related Illnesses (HRI) were recorded. An increase in healthcare utilization for HRI has been observed in both networks across all age groups since June 18. A majority (76%) of emergency room visits among older adults resulted in hospitalization.

• These heat-specific indicators represent only part of the potential impact of the heat. Furthermore, for certain indicators not specifically linked to extreme heat (isolated fevers, fainting spells, etc.), there has been a marked increase in emergency care visits, which is, however, typical during periods of high temperatures.

• Despite the drop in temperatures recorded across much of the country, it is prudent to maintain the recommendations due to the impact of heat on the body, particularly for vulnerable individuals and those overexposed through work or sports activities.