Following a meeting of the Interministerial Crisis Center, Lecornu announced a plan from the Health System Response Organization to the second of four levels to reinforce emergency services and the Urgent Medical Service in Paris.

“This decision will allow us to strengthen medical regulatory capabilities and mobilize the necessary personnel for hospital operations,” the Prime Minister stated.

Furthermore, he considered that it will guarantee full coordination between primary care medicine, hospitals, clinics, and EHPADs (medical residences for the elderly), and adapt activities if the situation requires it, Lecornu explained.

The French government’s reaction stems from the deadly effect the heatwave is already having. Although the vast majority of deaths so far are relatively young, almost all were drownings, the Prime Minister explained.

Currently, after France experienced its hottest night and early morning in recorded temperature data, at least 54 departments are on maximum alert and 34 on orange alert, out of a total of 101.

Several major cities broke all-time temperature records on June 22: Angers (Maine-et-Loire) reached 40.9 degrees Celsius, Saintes (Charente-Maritime) 42, and Bordeaux (Gironde) 41.9. But the highest temperature of the day was recorded in Chateaumeillant (Cher), at 43.3 degrees Celsius. The French feel the situation is similar to the heat wave of 2003, when the high temperatures in August, lasting for at least two weeks, caused nearly 15,000 deaths, mostly among the elderly.

jdt/jav/mem/to