Belgium Records Europe's Highest Excess Death Rate Amid Heatwave

Belgium has seen the highest excess death rate in Europe during the recent heatwave. According to the latest data from the European Monitoring of Excess Mortality for Public Health Action (EuroMOMO), the excess death rate in Belgium was calculated at 48% during this period. This rate was 23% in France and 13% in the Netherlands during the same time. The Belgian Institute for Public Health (Sciensano) announced that approximately 2,000 additional deaths occurred across the country during the heatwave in June and the first days of July, corresponding to a 48% excess death rate. The data showed that the extreme heat particularly affected those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.