Belgium records Europe's highest excess mortality during June heatwave

Belgium recorded Europe's highest excess mortality rate during the heatwave at the end of June, Het Nieuwsblad reported, citing data from the European mortality monitoring network EuroMOMO. Figures from Belgium's public health institute Sciensano showed more than 2,000 additional deaths compared to expected mortality levels.

Comparisons and Socioeconomic Factors

Belgium registered an excess mortality rate of 48%, compared with 23% in France and 13% in the Netherlands, despite similarly high temperatures. Biostatistician Geert Molenberghs linked the higher toll to socioeconomic factors, noting that "in a large, detached house with some greenery, it is less hot than in a small apartment with too many people." Flanders alone recorded an excess mortality rate of 31%, still higher than the national figures for France and the Netherlands.

Urban Development and Heat Impact

Molenberghs also pointed to Belgium's "haphazard" building practices as a possible contributing factor, saying the country's urban development patterns may have intensified the impact of extreme heat.