Extreme heatwaves contributed to more than 60,000 deaths in Europe in 2022 – a number much bigger than previous estimates have shown, according to a new report. The study, conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and published in the journal Nature Medicine, estimated that a staggering 61,672 deaths were caused by extreme heat in Europe between 30 May and 4 September 2022. Europe experienced its hottest summer on record in 2022, marked by an onslaught of scorching heatwaves, devastating droughts and raging forest fires, driven by human-induced climate crisis. While it was known that the excessive heat had led to a significant increase in mortality rates, the exact number of deaths directly attributable to the heat had remained unquantified. In an earlier report, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), an agency of the United Nations, estimated the number of deaths in Europe to be at 15,700 due to 2022 heatwaves. The numbers from the ISGlobal report now estimate it to be four times what WMO found. “This work adds to the existing evidence on heat-related mortality by providing updated data and analysis for the summer of 2022 in Europe,” Dr Raquel Nunes, assistant professor in environmental change and public health, Warwick Medical School, said about the report. “The findings of the current study, with over 61,000 estimated heat-related deaths, further support the evidence that heatwaves have a significant impact on mortality rates.” To arrive at these alarming figures, the research team gathered temperature and mortality data from 2015 to 2022 for 823 regions across 35 European countries, representing a total population of more than 543 million people. These datasets were then used to develop epidemiological models to predict temperature-attributable mortality for each region and week during the summer period. Temperature records indicated that every week throughout the summer period, Europeans experienced above-average temperatures, the report said. The most extreme temperature anomalies occurred during the peak of the summer, from mid-July to mid-August. Researchers say that this repeated occurrence of heatwaves significantly increased heat-related mortality, resulting in 38,881 deaths between 11 July and 14 August. Within this period (slightly over one month), a severe pan-European heatwave occurred from 18 to 24 July, accounting for 11,637 deaths. When examining the impact on individual countries, Italy reported the highest number of heat-attributable deaths during the entire summer of 2022, with a total of 18,010 fatalities. Spain followed closely behind with 11,324 deaths, while Germany recorded 8,173 deaths. Analysing the mortality rates attributable to heat, Italy again topped the list with 295 deaths per million, followed by Greece (280), Spain (237) and Portugal (211). The European average was estimated at 114 deaths per million. In terms of temperature anomalies, France experienced the highest deviation from the average values for the period 1991-2020, with temperatures reaching an astonishing 2.43C higher. Switzerland followed closely with 2.30C higher, while Italy, Hungary and Spain recorded an increase of 2.28C, 2.13C and 2.11C respectively. The study also revealed stark differences in heat-related mortality based on age and gender. It found that more women died of heatwaves than men, with mortality among women standing at a 63 per cent higher rate compared to men. The study estimated 35,406 premature deaths among women, standing at 145 deaths per million, and 21,667 deaths among men, at 93 deaths per million. “It [the study] demonstrates that heat prevention strategies need to be re-evaluated, with gender and age especially in mind,” said Dr Chloe Brimicombe, climate scientist and extreme heat researcher at the Centre for Climate and Global Change, University of Graz. “This research could be taken further, assessing the social vulnerability of citizens across Europe in the future because heat doesn’t impact people equitably. We need climate mitigation to help stop the impact of heat becoming worse in the future.” Mortality rates were also markedly higher among older age groups, with 4,822 deaths occurring among individuals under 65, 9,226 deaths among those aged 65 to 79, and a staggering 36,848 deaths among individuals over 79. Ms Nunes said older people are more vulnerable to extreme heat for several reasons. “As people age, their bodies become less efficient at regulating temperature and adapting to heat stress,” she explained. “This makes it harder for older individuals to cool down and maintain a stable body temperature during periods of high heat.” In addition, older people are also more likely to have existing illnesses. Ms Nunes added that “certain medications commonly taken by older adults, such as diuretics or beta-blockers, can interfere with the body’s ability to cool down”. “Additionally, social factors such as living alone, limited mobility and inadequate access to cooling systems can contribute to the increased vulnerability of older individuals to heat-related health risks.” While temperatures witnessed in the summer of 2022 were not unprecedented, the increased frequency and intensity of heating over the past decade, as average global temperatures reach 1.2C, makes the situation all the more urgent. Europe, already experiencing 1C more warming than the global average, faces a grim future if effective adaptive responses are not implemented, the report warns. Without such measures, the study projects that by 2030 the continent will witness more than 68,000 premature deaths each summer, a number that will surge to more than 94,000 by 2040. Despite many countries having active prevention plans in place, the fact that more than 61,600 people died due to heat stress in 2022 suggests that current adaptation strategies may be insufficient. “The high number of heat-related deaths during the summer of 2022 in Europe highlights the urgent need for action to protect vulnerable populations from the impacts of heatwaves,” says Ms Nunes. “National governments, relevant agencies and other bodies need to be called upon to increase the effectiveness of heat prevention and adaptation plans.” Read More Earth sets its hottest day record for third time in a week Will the UK see a 40C heatwave again this summer? 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Coleen Nolan has revealed that she has been diagnosed with skin cancer, making her the fourth sister in the family pop group The Nolans to have the disease. The Loose Women star, 58, spoke about her diagnosis on the talk show on Monday (17 July) and said she was “sick of cancer” in her family. Three of Nolan’s sisters have been diagnosed with the illness over the years. In 2013, Bernie died of breast cancer at the age of 52, while Linda announced this year that her cancer has spread to her brain. A third sister, Anne, has undergone successful treatment for cancer twice and is currently in remission. However, she has previously spoken out about her fears that it will return. Coleen told ITV viewers that the skin cancer was only caught by chance after she went to a dermatologist for a different problem. The doctor said that the patch was a common skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, she recalled. “I went back in and he was very good and he said, ‘Look, it’s nothing to worry about. It is actually a cancer that doesn’t necessarily spread, but you do need to treat it’,” she recalled. She is now undergoing treatment using chemo cream, with the option of surgery if it does not work. Coleen said her “first instinct” after receiving the diagnosis was to “laugh hysterically”. “I just thought that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard anybody say,” she continued. “I’m sick of cancer and also, my first instinct was, I’m not telling anybody in my family because this that I’ve got at the moment seems nothing compared to what my sisters have been through.” She also reflected on Linda’s current condition. In March, Linda shared the news that she was about to start chemotherapy again, and moved into her sister Denise’s home the following month to prepare for “the inevitable”. “What Linda is going through, where it has gone to her brain and she’s having chemo,” Coleen said. “It just seemed so pathetic for some reason to go back and go, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve got a carcinoma’.” After the show, Linda posted on Twitter that she was “very proud” of her younger sister. “She acted on her instincts, found something amiss and got it checked,” the 64-year-old singer wrote. “If you spot something out of the ordinary for you, PLEASE get it checked. Don’t be frightened.” Coleen has previously said she considered undergoing a double mastectomy after Linda and Anne’s diagnoses of breast cancer. She has also had a breast cancer scare in 2009, while competing on Dancing On Ice – however, the lump in her breast at the time turned out to be an infected gland. She told The Mirror: “I’ve been lying in bed at night, looking down at my breasts and thinking, ‘Am I just walking around with two timebombs here?’ If that’s a possibility, maybe I need to get rid of them.” The TV personality said she believes the cancer affecting her sisters “could be down to a rogue gene from my dad’s side of the family”. Some forms of cancer can run in families, with the risk of developing breast cancer, bowel cancer or ovarian cancer increasing if close relatives have previously developed the conditions. However, it does not mean that a person will definitely have cancer if their close relatives have it. According to the NHS, it is estimated that between three and 10 in every 100 cancers are associated with an inherited faulty gene. The Nolans comprised Coleen, Linda, Denise, Bernie and Maureen Nolan. They are one of the world’s biggest selling girl groups and their international hits include “I’m in the Mood for Dancing”, “Gotta Pull Myself Together”, and “Chemistry”. Read More Sorry lads, we just can’t afford any more reckless, middle-aged adventurers Cruise line apologises after passengers witness dozens of pilot whales being slaughtered Woman’s response to Tinder match asking her to go on an ice cream date sparks debate These are the phrases working mums want to stop hearing – survey Montana Brown opens up about struggle to conceive before son’s birth How to keep your pet safe and healthy during a heatwave

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