Heat-related fatalities in Germany approach 10,000

Berlin: Estimates released by Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control indicate that approximately 10,000 people have died across the country since the beginning of the year due to elevated temperatures.

The Institute reported that more than 5,000 of the heat-related fatalities in 2026 occurred during the hot spell in the latter half of June, when a heatwave pushed temperatures in many parts of Germany to nearly 40 degrees Celsius.

The Institute further noted that elderly individuals remain the most vulnerable to severe heat risks. Among the heat-related deaths, 5,420 were aged 85 and above, 2,460 were between 75 and 84 years old, and 1,260 fell within the 65 to 74 age bracket, while the number of deceased under 65 years of age stood at approximately 630.

The Institute also pointed out that while some cases may be directly attributable to heatstroke, the majority of fatalities result from a combination of heat exposure and pre-existing medical conditions.

It is worth noting that this year's figure has already surpassed the death toll recorded in 2016, which, over the past decade, had stood at roughly 9,000 cases.