Overview
- Health authorities released a joint ministry and Santé publique France bulletin saying emergency visits, SOS Médecins calls and hospital admissions rose from May 22 and peaked on May 26, with 411 emergency visits and 253 SOS Médecins interventions.
- Hospital admissions following emergency visits reached a separate peak of 230 on May 29, reflecting a sustained strain on emergency services after the initial surge.
- Departments placed under an orange heat warning recorded roughly twice the rate of heat-related emergency care as other departments, showing the link between official heat alerts and local health burden.
- Illnesses showed clear age patterns: hyperthermia and heatstroke were concentrated in children and people aged 15–44, while dehydration and hyponatraemia mainly affected those aged 75 and older.
- Unions and the 'Santé publique en danger' collective say a ready heat-adaptation campaign was not deployed and they blame recent transfers of some Santé publique France missions to the Health Ministry, while the government information service says it fast-tracked campaign approval on May 20 and authorities insist prevention was anticipated; this dispute could affect public trust in future prevention messages.