BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / RankWire.AI / – Belgium recorded 1,747 more deaths than expected during the heatwave from June 18 through July 1, 2026. The increase represented 47.8% excess mortality across the country during the measured period. Sciensano released the updated figures after reviewing deaths through the day temperatures declined. The total marked Belgium’s highest heatwave excess mortality since comparable analysis began in 2000. It set national records in both absolute numbers and percentage terms.
The new assessment replaced an earlier estimate of 1,222 excess deaths from June 18 through June 29. Extending the review through July 1 added the days immediately after the officially defined heatwave ended. Excess mortality counts all deaths above the level expected from established historical patterns. It does not mean each death received medical certification linking it directly to heat. The measure captures the broader mortality surge during an extreme weather episode and allows comparisons with earlier heatwaves.
Deaths reached their highest level on June 27, when Belgium registered 641 deaths in one day. That total stood 146.5% above the expected level. On June 28, authorities recorded 632 deaths, or 143.1% more than expected. Belgium normally records about 260 deaths per day in late June. The two-day spike formed the sharpest point of the national increase. It came near the end of a prolonged period of exceptional heat.
Regional toll varied sharply
Wallonia recorded the highest regional excess mortality rate at 76%, with 919 additional deaths. Brussels followed with a 60.9% increase and 159 excess deaths. Flanders reported a 31.4% rise and 682 additional deaths. Mortality therefore increased across all three regions, although the scale varied substantially. Authorities have not established a confirmed reason for Wallonia’s higher rate. The national findings report the regional difference without assigning an unverified cause.
The heatwave also affected people below age 65. Among those aged 15 to 64, deaths exceeded expectations by 61.3%, equal to 280 additional deaths. The public health analysis linked the episode’s severity to its duration, intense temperatures and high ozone concentrations. Each factor reached unusually high levels during the same period. Belgium’s August 2020 heatwave produced 557 excess deaths and a 37.5% increase. The 2026 event surpassed both measures.
Officials tighten heat protections
Belgian health officials used the findings to review protections during periods of extreme heat. They called for more capacity at emergency call centers when demand rises. Their recommendations included better access to cool public spaces and free drinking water at public events. They also sought stronger safeguards for workers exposed to high temperatures, including adjusted working hours. Local authorities received advice to contact people who face greater health risks during heatwaves.
The Interministerial Conference on Health also supported heatwave plans for schools, nurseries and childcare centers. The plans call for constant drinking water, cooler rooms and changes to physical activities during extreme temperatures. Officials also recommended closer risk checks for public events, including smaller gatherings. The measures focus on older people, chronically ill residents, care-home occupants, homeless people and those living alone. Belgium’s revised death count now provides the clearest national measure of the June heatwave’s human impact.