WHO reports alarming: “Europe faces 175,000 deaths per year”
Europe is struggling with a wave of extreme heat, and the WHO predicts difficult years ahead. According to the organization, 175,000 people die each year due to heat.
This year, Europe is facing an extreme heat wave. It has been warm since spring, but the summer season has brought unusual weather phenomena: hailstorms, tornadoes, floods.
In Italy and other countries around the Mediterranean, thermometers are showing over 40 degrees Celsius. Authorities are appealing not to leave their homes unnecessarily, hospitals are providing assistance to those whose bodies cannot cope with such high temperatures. Croatia and Greece are struggling with fires, and in Serbia, a huge lake has dried up due to the heat.
175 thousand deaths per year due to heat
And everything indicates that this will be the new reality. The forecasts of the World Health Organization are not optimistic: temperatures in the Old Continent are rising the fastest in the world.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the heatwave could bring an alarming number of deaths to the Old Continent. “Extreme heatwaves kill more than 175,000 people in Europe each year,” the European branch of the World Health Organization reported.
“Extreme temperatures exacerbate chronic diseases, including cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebrovascular diseases, mental health and diabetes-related conditions,” explained WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge. The data also shows that heat-related deaths have increased by 30 percent over the past two decades.
How to deal with the hot weather?
To survive hot days, you need to equip yourself with adequate amounts of water, avoid the sun and stay in dark rooms. According to the recommendations, we should not go outside between 10 am and 4 pm, but when it is very warm, it is worth staying at home until late in the evening. You also need to take care of the youngest and oldest, who quickly dehydrate and for whom high temperatures can be a threat.
