Key Points

• In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, more than 2,620 emergency room visits related to iCanicule were recorded during the summer (1,839 of which resulted in hospitalization) and 626 SOS Médecins calls. All age groups were affected, but people aged 75 and older were the most affected. An expected rise in iCanicule indicators was observed during heat waves; however, 90% of visits and 86% of SOS Médecins calls related to iCanicule were recorded outside of heat wave periods.

• During the first heatwave episode, iCanicule activity levels exceeded those observed during the summer of 2022 (when several departments had issued red heatwave alerts in June). A more moderate health impact was observed during the second heatwave episode.

• Heat-related mortality is estimated at 724 deaths over the entire summer (4% of all-cause mortality observed), including nearly 230 deaths during heatwave episodes (14% of all-cause mortality observed during these episodes). More than three-quarters of these deaths involved people aged 75 and older, both over the entire summer and during heatwave episodes.