Update: 93 deaths now connected to Quebec heat wave
theweathernetwork.com
Thursday, July 19, 2018, 12:57 PM - The number of deaths connected to Quebec's early July heat wave has risen to 93 in the wake of an investigation published by Montreal public health officials.
Previous reports indicated 34 deaths in Montreal, but amended numbers released earlier this week pushed the number dead in the city to 53. This report is still considered preliminary as well, meaning numbers may still be further adjusted.
Most of the people who died were over the age of 60 and suffered from some from of chronic illness. The majority of deaths occurred in the Montreal area.
VIDEO: HOW TO BEAT THE SUMMER HEAT
Smog warnings issued during the final days of the heatwave, further complicating the circumstances for vulnerable citizens.
That combination led to a 30 per cent increase in calls to emergency services, from 1,000 calls per day to between 1,200 and 1,350, the Montreal Gazette reports. Montreal's morgue ran out of room during the heat wave and was forced to partner with a funeral home to store bodies.
Temperatures are subsiding in Quebec, but Dr. David Kaiser of Montreal's public health department is still encouraging people to check on their neighbours, especially those who are vulnerable or live alone.
Quebec's last extreme heat wave happened in the Montreal area between July 6 and 11, 2010. During that time, 106 were connected to the weather.
