Europe heatwaves caused at least 35,000 excess deaths

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover Europe heatwaves caused at least 35,000 excess deaths?

Of the 9 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 56% are rated left, 44% are rated centre, 0% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 21. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.

Is Europe heatwaves caused at least 35,000 excess deaths left or right?

Too few of the outlets on this story carry a published leaning rating to say. 9 of them do, and this site does not characterise a field under 12: at that size one newsroom filing moves the share by ten points. The percentages above are the count as it stands.

Is the coverage of Europe heatwaves caused at least 35,000 excess deaths biased?

Europe heatwaves caused at least 35,000 excess deaths is one event reported by 21 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.

Which side is not reporting Europe heatwaves caused at least 35,000 excess deaths?

When we first saw this story, outlets rated right had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.

Which outlets covered Europe heatwaves caused at least 35,000 excess deaths?

21 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.

How many excess deaths were recorded in Europe due to heatwaves this summer?

At least 35,000 excess deaths were recorded in Europe due to successive heatwaves this summer. This figure is based on preliminary data and is likely to be higher as more comprehensive statistics become available.

Which countries reported the highest numbers of heat-related deaths?

Germany, France, and Spain together reported over 25,000 additional deaths based on preliminary figures. Germany alone estimated around 14,000 heat-related deaths between April and August, while Spain recorded nearly 5,000 between May and August.

Why is it difficult to directly attribute deaths to heat?

Heat is rarely listed as a direct cause of death. Instead, it often exacerbates pre-existing health conditions, such as respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, leading to fatalities that are then attributed to those underlying issues.