Article · Health news
WHO/Europe statement: extreme heat, more deadly weeks may still lie ahead for the European Region
On 7 July 2026 the WHO's regional director for Europe said fewer than half of the European Region's member states have a national heat-health action plan.
Key points
- WHO/Europe published the statement on 7 July 2026; it concerns the WHO European Region.
- The regional director said he convened an emergency call on extreme heat with representatives from 41 member states, the European Commission and civil society groups.
- He said not even half of the Region's member states have a national heat-health action plan in place.
What was announced
On 7 July 2026 the World Health Organization's regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, published a statement on extreme heat in the WHO European Region. He said he had convened an emergency call on extreme heat with representatives from 41 member states, the European Commission and several civil society groups. He said not even half of the Region's member states have a national heat-health action plan in place.
What it means
The statement says long-term care residents, homeless people and socially isolated older adults are still not being reached consistently.
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