The heatwave in France has caused some 3,000 deaths, directly or indirectly, since late July, France's national health authority said today.
The authority, part of the health ministry, gave theestimate in a statement, which also described the surge in death rates since July 25th as "an epidemic of heat-related deaths".
Despite cooler weather in the north today, hospitalsstruggled with a flood of mainly elderly people suffering from hyperthermia and dehydration. The strain was set to increase over a long weekend beginning on Friday.
"I think we can now qualify what is happening as a genuineepidemic," Health Minister Jean-Francois Mattei told FranceInter radio.
Hospitals set up refrigerated tents to cope with the surge in casualties, and medical staff were called back from holidays to reinforce emergency services ahead of an extended holiday weekend.
Undertakers prepared to work on Friday, a public holiday, to cope with the increased number of deaths.