Estimated daily mortality during July 2006 in England and Wales.

During July 2006, temperatures in England and Wales triggered the Government to initiate its Heatwave Plan and issue advice to the public on how to keep healthy during hot weather, and guidance to health care professionals on minimising heat-related health risks. This report presents provisional daily mortality during July by age and region, and estimates excess deaths at the hottest times. The high temperatures during July 2006 did not affect mortality in England and Wales to the extent seen in August 2003--the first hot period of July 2006 showed no increase in mortality nationally and there was a 4 per cent increase over baseline mortality in the second hot period (680 excess deaths). This compares to a 16 per cent increase during the August 2003 heat wave.