Key Points

• The summer of 2024 was 0.7°C warmer than normal, with regional variations, as the Mediterranean coast was the most affected. It ranks as the 8th warmest summer since 1900, according to Météo France. In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, two heat waves occurred between July 28 and August 14, affecting all departments in the region.

• Nationally, more than 17,000 emergency care visits related to the iCanicule composite health indicator (including heatstroke, dehydration, and hyponatremia) were recorded during the summer. Although all age groups were affected, people aged 75 and older accounted for more than half of the emergency room visits related to iCanicule. More than 3,700 deaths were attributable to heat exposure across the entire summer surveillance period, representing more than 2% of all-cause mortality observed. During heatwave episodes, more than 600 deaths were attributable to heat exposure, representing over 10% of all-cause mortality observed during these episodes. More than three-quarters of these deaths involved people aged 75 and older.

• In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, nearly 2,190 emergency room visits (70% of which were followed by hospitalization) and 310 SOS Médecins calls for the iCanicule indicator were recorded between June 1 and September 15, 2024. Heatwave days accounted for 12% (11%) and 24% of these cases, respectively. During these episodes, half of the visits and interventions for iCanicule involved people aged 75 and older. This age group also accounted for 62% of hospitalizations for iCanicule. Over the course of the summer, nearly 530 heat-related deaths were estimated, 42% of which occurred during heatwave episodes. Just over three-quarters of these heat-related deaths involved people aged 75 and older.

• In collaboration with the College of General Practitioners (CMG), Santé publique France raised awareness among general practitioners about how to care for heat-vulnerable patients through a newsletter.

• The observed health impacts underscore the importance of implementing preventive measures to mitigate the effects of heat, not only during heat waves but throughout the summer, and the need for a strengthened climate change adaptation strategy at both the national and regional levels.