Key Points

A heat wave triggering the yellow and orange alert levels specified in the National Heat Wave Plan (PNC) affected 87% of the metropolitan population between June 17 and 25, 2017. The health impacts observed during this early heatwave underscore the importance of strengthening prevention measures in the workplace and among the elderly. This heatwave affected the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region from June 18 to 24, with:

• An atypical weather situation with an extended heatwave that occurred earlier than the one in 2015, affecting all departments in the region.

• An observed number of deaths that remained consistent with the expected rate for the general population from all causes and among people aged 75 and older.

• An observed impact on morbidity through the use of heat-related emergency care (171 emergency room visits and 88 SOS Médecins consultations for heat-related conditions, affecting all age groups, were recorded during the heat wave). The number of heat-related illnesses is known to increase proportionally with temperature and to have a minor impact on overall healthcare provision (in the order of a few percent).