PHOENIX (AP) – The toll of heat-associated deaths in Arizona’s most populous county – still being tallied after the area’s hottest summer ever recorded – has soared over 360, alarming public health officials who say the final count will surely set a new record.
Maricopa county, the hottest metropolitan area in the United States (US) and home to Phoenix, reported this week that 361 heat-associated deaths have been confirmed this year as of October 7. Another 238 deaths remained under investigation.
As of the same time last year, 331 heat-associated deaths had been confirmed, with another 126 deaths still being studied. No other major metropolitan area in the US has reported such high figures or spends so much time tracking and studying them.
“It definitely looks like we’ll see more deaths than last year and maybe even more than 500,” said Medical Director Dr Rebecca Sunenshine for Maricopa county Public Health. “But we won’t really know until the end of the season.”
Maricopa county set an annual record last year with 425 heat-associated deaths confirmed.
This summer, Phoenix experienced the hottest three months since record-keeping began in 1895, including the hottest July and the second-hottest August. The daily average temperature of 36.1 degrees Celsius (oC) in June, July and August passed the previous record of 35.9oC set three years ago.
Phoenix also set a record in July with a 31-day streak of highs at or above 43.3oC.
Dr Sunenshine said Maricopa county began tracking heat-associated deaths in 2005, then gradually began collecting additional information, including the age, sex, race and ethnicity of those who died and whether they were indoors or outside when they got sick.
