Heatwave: deaths among the over-85s rise by 8 per cent in July. In Germany, 14,000 deaths in the summer of 2026

In July, in Italia, the number of people aged 85 and over who died as a result of the heatwave rose by 8 per cent, whilst in Germany, 14,000 people had already died by the summer of 2026. The rise in heat-related deaths amongst the over-85s is confirmed by data from the Ministry of Health. The death toll in Germany, on the other hand, has been confirmed by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which states that this is the highest number of heat-related deaths in Germany in the last ten years. The German estimate covers deaths recorded up to 9 August.

In July, the third heatwave to hit Italian cities had an impact on daily mortality rates amongst the population – specifically amongst those aged 65 and over – which was ‘in line with expectations’. For the 64–74 and 75–84 age groups, “mortality was, in particular, lower than expected. Where excess mortality was recorded, it affected the most vulnerable, namely those aged over 85, particularly in the north”.

This is according to the Monthly Report on the heatwave monitoring and alert system and on the surveillance of daily mortality and A&E admissions for the period 1–31 July, published on the Ministry of Health’s website. The data are collected by the Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Regional Health Service (Dep) on behalf of the Ministry of Health. According to the experts, ‘despite the high temperatures, the impact on public health in Italia has been limited’.

Coinciding with the July heatwaves, from 12 July onwards, ‘no significant changes have in fact been observed in the trend of A&E visits, apart from slight increases in Venice, Rome, Reggio Calabria and Palermo’. Analysis of data on daily mortality rates amongst those aged 65 and over shows mortality figures in line with experts’ expectations. In the 64–74 and 75–84 age groups, in particular, mortality was lower than expected. Analysis of the tables shows that excess mortality, where recorded, affected the most vulnerable, namely those aged over 85 (+8 per cent), particularly in the north. Restricting the analysis to the third heatwave, ‘there was a significant excess in mortality among the population aged over 65 in some southern cities (Reggio Calabria, Messina, Palermo and Cagliari) and, at the threshold of statistical significance, in Campobasso, Pescara and Latina’, the report highlights.

During the July heatwaves, ‘no significant changes were observed in the trend in A&E admissions, apart from slight increases in Venice, Rome, Reggio Calabria and Palermo’.