WHO Reports Over 1,300 Heatwave Deaths in Europe

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that severe heatwaves have claimed over 1,300 lives across Europe since June 21. Warning that the continent is warming twice as fast as the global average, Ghebreyesus described heat stress as a “silent killer” for populations whose infrastructure was never built for such extremes. “Currently, 150 million people are living under extremely high temperatures, hundreds have died, education has been disrupted, and power grids are collapsing,” he stated. To help combat the crisis, the WHO released practical safety guidelines, advising residents to stay hydrated, optimize air conditioning, and regularly check on vulnerable neighbors. The threat is expected to persist, with recent projections indicating that 381 million people across the continent will soon face temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius.