Spain has recorded a total of 771 deaths attributable to excessive temperatures in the month of July, with the last being the worst week – from July 22 to 28 – when up to 337 deaths were recorded, according to estimates by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII).
In the following week, between July 29 and August 4, the daily all-cause mortality monitoring system (MoMo) has calculated a total of 246 deaths caused by heat.
The month of July began with a total of 37 deaths from heat in its first week, which increased as the days went by. They rose to 49 in the second week; to 102 in the third and, finally, to 337 in the last, adding up to the figure of 771 deaths.
In total, MoMo has reported 33,688 deaths in Spain in July, recording an excess of 843 deaths from all causes – 771 of them due to heat.
By gender, of the 771 heat-related deaths, 459 occurred in women. The remaining 312 were men. By age, the highest figures were reported in people over 85 years of age, with a total of 356 deaths. In total, 455 people over 65 years of age died from heat. Among people between 65 and 74, 18 deaths were recorded from this cause, and among those between 75 and 84, a total of 73. On the other hand, a total of 13 Spaniards between the ages of 45 and 64 died from excessive temperatures.
By autonomous community, the region with the most deaths was Madrid, with 208, surpassing Castile and Leon (96) and Castile-La Mancha (75). It is followed by Catalonia (73), Andalusia (69), Galicia (61), Aragon (55), Valencian Community (45), Extremadura (30), La Rioja (12), Navarre (11), Asturias (10), Basque Country (7), Murcia and the Canary Islands (6), the Balearic Islands (4) and Cantabria (1). Ceuta has recorded one death due to excessive heat and Melilla none.
In July last year, 686 deaths were recorded due to excessive temperatures, 85 fewer than those reported in the same month this year. During the summer of 2023, MoMo identified 3,009 deaths attributable to excessive temperatures nationwide, being the third summer with the highest number of excesses in the 2015-2023 series.
During that same year, the regional health authorities notified the Ministry of Health of 24 deaths from heat stroke, with an average age of 53 years and a gender distribution of 87.5 percent men and 12.5 percent women.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH
For all these reasons, in mid-July, the Ministry of Health reminded that exposure to high ambient temperatures can cause an insufficient response from the human thermoregulatory system. Furthermore, excessive heat can alter vital functions if the human body is unable to compensate for variations in body temperature.
They also stressed that very high temperatures cause a loss of water and electrolytes that are necessary for the normal functioning of the various organs. Thus, in some people with certain chronic diseases, undergoing certain medical treatments and/or with disabilities that limit their autonomy, these thermoregulation mechanisms can become unbalanced more easily.
From a biological perspective, exposure to excessive temperatures can cause health problems such as cramps, dehydration, heat stroke or heat stroke (which causes multi-organ problems that can include symptoms such as gait instability, seizures, coma and even death).
The Ministry of Health recommends drinking water or liquids frequently, even if you do not feel thirsty and regardless of the physical activity you are doing. In addition, you should avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol or sugar, as they can cause dehydration.
