Key Points

• The summer of 2024 was 0.7°C warmer than normal, with regional variations, as the Mediterranean region was the most affected. It ranks as the 8th warmest summer since 1900, according to Météo France. In Corsica, the main heatwave occurred from August 2 to August 5 and affected only the Haute-Corse department.

• Nationally, more than 17,000 emergency care visits related to the iCanicule composite health indicator (including cases of hyperthermia, 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 iCanicule-related visits to emergency rooms. More than 3,700 deaths were attributable to heat exposure across the entire summer (the entire surveillance period), representing more than 2% of all-cause mortality recorded between June 1 and September 15. Specifically during heatwave episodes, more than 600 deaths were attributable to heat exposure, representing more than 10% of all-cause mortality recorded during these episodes. More than three-quarters of these deaths involved people aged 75 and older.

• In Corsica, 248 emergency room visits (51% of which were followed by hospitalization) and 8 SOS Médecins interventions for the iCanicule indicator were recorded between June 1 and September 15. Only 4% of emergency room visits and 5% of hospitalizations following an emergency room visit occurred during heatwave days (no SOS Médecins interventions for iCanicule during these days). During these episodes, more than half of the visits and interventions for iCanicule involved people aged 15 to 74. The most represented age group among hospitalizations following an emergency room visit for iCanicule was those aged 75 and older. Over the course of the summer, nearly 51 heat-related deaths were estimated, 18% of which occurred during heatwave episodes. More than half 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 once again 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.