Around 395 heat-related deaths in Austria in June, the highest June toll since 2017
Austria registered around 395 heat-related deaths in June — the highest June total since 2017, AGES and the health ministry say.
About 395 people died in Austria in June as a result of extreme heat, health authorities reported, marking the highest June toll since comparable records began in 2017.
The country is currently coping with a fresh heat wave that forecasters say could persist for several more days, heightening concerns about further heat-related casualties.
Official estimate and past comparisons
The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) published, for the first time during the summer season, an estimate of excess mortality attributed to high temperatures. The Ministry of Health said AGES found around 395 heat-related deaths in June this year.
That figure surpasses the previous June record of 335 heat-related deaths registered in 2019. By comparison, June last year saw 170 such fatalities, while June 2024 recorded 201 cases.
Authorities said the AGES estimate is based on a scientific statistical model developed by AGES to identify excess deaths linked to elevated temperatures rather than on individual cause-of-death determinations.
Public-health officials and meteorologists have warned that prolonged high temperatures pose particular risks to older people and those with chronic illnesses, and have urged residents to follow heat-safety guidance while the heat wave continues.
Photo: press material from the event
