RKI Estimate: Around 3,600 Heat-Related Deaths in Southwestern Germany Since 2018

During extreme heatwaves, the number of deaths rises significantly, according to the RKI. Those particularly at risk include elderly people, the chronically ill, and individuals living in apartments without adequate cooling. Family caregivers and people working in outdoor occupations are also among the risk groups.

Uwe Janssens, medical director of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI), pointed out that the actual number of heat-related deaths is likely even higher. He said: "viele Fälle würden nicht als hitzebedingt erfasst, weil auf Totenscheinen etwa Organversagen stehe". As a result, the scale of the burden imposed by heat is systematically underestimated.

Risk Groups in Focus

The RKI emphasizes that heat protection has so far not been a nationwide priority in Germany. Municipalities are often inadequately prepared for heatwaves, warning systems are inconsistent, and measures such as heat helplines, cool rooms in care facilities, or adapted working hours are not implemented everywhere.

Experts are therefore calling for a national heat protection plan that sets out clear responsibilities. This includes binding alert levels, mandatory heat protection concepts in hospitals and care homes, and investments in urban greening and shading to lower temperatures in densely built neighborhoods.

Health insurance companies are also becoming increasingly active. They point to the importance of drinking protocols, adjusted medication, and regular monitoring of elderly patients. Family doctors play a key role here, as they can identify at-risk patients and provide advice on behavior during heat.

Call for a National Heat Protection Plan

At the European level, binding heat protection standards are meanwhile under discussion. After several extreme summers in Southern and Central Europe, both the World Health Organization and the EU Commission see an urgent need for action. Germany is considered one of the countries with a particularly high need for adaptation, because many residential buildings lack structural heat protection.

According to the institute, the RKI figures are to be updated regularly and extended to other federal states. Researchers hope this will improve the basis for more effective protective measures and make comparisons between regions easier.

Climate researchers expect above-average temperatures again in southwestern Germany next summer. Without additional measures, a further increase in heat-related deaths is to be expected, according to the RKI — particularly in heavily urbanized regions.

Outlook: More Heatwaves to Come

Overall, the analysis shows that heat in Germany has long ceased to be merely a summer issue and is instead a serious health risk claiming thousands of preventable deaths. The combination of demographic change, rising temperatures, and insufficient adaptation is worsening the situation, experts warn.

The German Association of Cities (Deutscher Städtetag) is calling on the federal and state governments to permanently secure funding for municipal heat protection measures. Only in this way, it says, can cooling centers, warning systems, and trained specialists be provided nationwide to save lives during acute heatwaves.