PARIS, France — Hospitals across Europe have come under increasing pressure as a record-breaking heatwave continues to grip the continent, with authorities reporting rising deaths, surging emergency admissions, and temperatures exceeding 40°C in several countries.
Health officials warned on Thursday that emergency services were approaching capacity as millions of people endured extreme heat linked to the ongoing climate crisis.
In France, authorities said hospitals were nearing saturation as the number of patients suffering heat-related illnesses continued to rise.
“We are reaching a saturation point in hospital facilities,” Paris Police Prefect Patrice Faure said, adding that hospital admissions had continued to increase.
French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist’s office reported that 25 cardiac arrests were recorded across Paris within a 24-hour period on Wednesday, compared to fewer than 10 during a typical day.
Nationwide, emergency room visits related to extreme heat have increased fourfold, placing additional strain on healthcare facilities already operating under pressure.
The United Kingdom also reported a sharp rise in medical emergencies. London Ambulance Service said Wednesday recorded its highest number of life-threatening emergency calls in a single day as temperatures climbed to unprecedented levels.
According to weather forecasts analysed, more than 380 million people across Europe are expected to experience temperatures above 30°C, while at least 101 million face temperatures exceeding 35°C.
The human cost of the heatwave continues to rise.
French authorities said three deaths in the northern Pas-de-Calais region were likely linked to the extreme temperatures. Separately, a three-year-old boy died after being trapped inside a family vehicle near Paris, where temperatures exceeded 40°C on Wednesday. Two other children also died in similar circumstances earlier this week.
In Spain, the national mortality monitoring system estimated that 212 deaths recorded between Sunday and Wednesday could be attributed to the heat.
Italian media reported at least five heat-related deaths, including two farm workers and a construction worker exposed to prolonged high temperatures.
Authorities in Paris announced a ban on public alcohol consumption and sales from Friday as part of measures aimed at reducing heat-related health risks.
The extreme weather has also disrupted transport and public activities across Europe.
In Germany, where temperatures are forecast to reach 40°C through the weekend, several outdoor events were cancelled. National rail operator Deutsche Bahn advised passengers to avoid unnecessary travel because of increased risks from wildfires, thunderstorms and infrastructure disruptions.
Switzerland recorded a June temperature record of 38°C, while the Netherlands issued its first-ever red heat alert.
Scientists say the prolonged heat has been intensified by a “heat dome” carrying hot air from North Africa into western Europe.
According to Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, the weather system has trapped hot air over the continent while preventing cooler air from moving in.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said the heatwave bears the unmistakable signs of global warming driven by fossil fuel emissions.
“This heatwave has the fingerprints of the climate crisis all over it,” Stiell said.
“Until humanity stops burning colossal amounts of coal, oil, and gas, extreme heat will keep getting worse.”
The effects have been felt across communities, particularly among vulnerable populations.
In West London, community cooling centres have become refuges for elderly residents and people living with chronic illnesses.
Climate experts warned that Europe must adapt to increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves, with improved urban planning, greener infrastructure, and better public health preparedness becoming increasingly urgent.
Forecasters expect temperatures to ease across western Europe from Friday, although eastern parts of the continent remain under red-alert warnings as the heatwave shifts eastward.