The WHO warns of a new, potentially more deadly heatwave in Europe

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday that Europe could face "even more deadly weeks" with the arrival of another intense heat wave from the Atlantic, as several countries are still recovering from an exceptional heat wave.

According to the WHO, temperatures are expected to reach up to 43°C in Portugal and southern Spain in the coming days.

The WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, convened an emergency meeting on Monday with representatives from 41 countries, the European Commission and civil society organizations to assess the lessons learned from the recent heat wave and prepare the response to the one that is coming.

Hans Kluge pointed out that countries with specific health plans for extreme heat had reacted more quickly and better protected their populations during the June heatwave. However, he noted that less than half of the WHO's European member states currently have such a system in place.

Experts believe the heatwave from June 20 to 28 was the most intense ever recorded in Europe. It disrupted electricity production, damaged infrastructure, and put a heavy strain on healthcare systems.

Scientists believe this extreme event is most likely linked to climate change.

France, the Netherlands and Belgium together recorded around 3,700 additional deaths during this period, a figure that authorities describe as still provisional and likely to be revised upwards.

In several regions of Europe, temperatures have reached or exceeded 40°C.

The WHO also believes that the most vulnerable populations remain insufficiently protected, including nursing home residents, homeless people and elderly people living in isolation.

According to Hans Kluge, efforts must now focus on two priorities: correcting the weaknesses revealed by the previous heat wave before the arrival of the next one and sustainably strengthening health systems so that they are able to cope with the increasing number of extreme weather events.