WHO Warns Heat Is a Health Emergency as Europe Faces Rising Death Toll

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Geneva: The World Health Organization has urged governments to strengthen climate resilience and prepare health systems for extreme heat as soaring temperatures continue to affect Europe.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there can be no further delay in climate action, warning that heat-related deaths are increasing as Europe warms faster than any other region in the world.

The UN health agency said more than 200,000 people have died from heat-related causes in Europe over the past four years, while heat-related mortality has risen by 30 percent over the past two decades.

WHO called on authorities to make cities cooler, improve access to water and shade, protect vulnerable groups and ensure health systems are prepared before temperatures reach dangerous levels.

Describing extreme heat as more than a weather issue, the organisation warned that it has become a growing public health emergency driven by climate change.

Pic Credit: AFP