Almost 10,000 people are believed to have died from heat-related causes in Germany this year, the national public health institute said on Thursday, as the latest heatwave bears down on the country.
In its weekly report, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) estimated that 9,800 deaths linked to heat were recorded across the country up to July 19. The figure was higher than in any full year since 2016.
Germany has sweltered under several heatwaves this summer, with the national temperature record being smashed in late June.
According to the RKI, the majority of heat-related deaths in 2026 can be attributed to the second half of June, when temperatures reached around 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country.
During the latest week under review, from July 13 to 19, around 1,900 deaths were recorded.
Temperatures are expected to hit 39 degrees on Thursday, the hottest day of the current heatwave.
Extreme heat is particularly dangerous for older people. Of the deaths caused by the heat, 5,420 were recorded among those aged 85 and over, while 630 people were under the age of 65.
In some cases, heatstroke leads to death, but in most cases the cause is a combination of heat exposure and pre-existing medical conditions, according to the RKI.
Weeks with an average temperature above 20 degrees typically see significantly higher mortality rates than cooler summer weeks. The analysis is based on data from 52 weather stations operated by the German Weather Service.
In the week from July 13 to 19, the weekly average temperature was 20.9 degrees, the RKI said.
The extreme heat at the end of June sparked a debate on greater heat protection.
Calls for increased investment came primarily from the opposition in the Bundestag, with the aim of ensuring that hospitals, care homes and nurseries can be cooled during future heatwaves.
Care advocates and medical professionals say many facilities are currently inadequately prepared for heatwaves.