Record excess deaths in UK's hot summer
As the UK endured record high temperatures of 40C this summer, there were around 3,000 more deaths than usual in England and Wales - the highest figure since 2004.
"These estimates show clearly that high temperatures can lead to premature death for those who are vulnerable," said Isabel Oliver, chief scientific officer at the UKHSA.There were five heat-periods between June and August 2022 - defined as days when the average temperature is greater than 20°C in central England.
And among those aged 65 years and over, there were 2,803 excess deaths - the highest number since 2004, when England introduced a plan to prepare for heatwaves.more excess deaths in women compared with men Sarah Caul, head of mortality analysis at the ONS, said: "During the UK summer of record-breaking temperatures, there was an increase in deaths."This is likely to be a result of short-term mortality displacement, especially among older age groups, where people died a few days or weeks earlier than expected."