PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Department of Public Health confirmed 100 more people died from heat-associated deaths in 2023. The 100 additional deaths brings the cumulative total in 2023 to 569 people who died of heat-associated deaths in Maricopa County.
This is the largest amount of heat-associated deaths in county history – a 33% increase from 2022.
The public health department releases a weekly report, detailing the number of confirmed heat-associated deaths, deaths under investigation and demographic information regarding the cases. The first heat-associated death was reported in April of 2023.
There are still 60 heat-associated deaths in 2023 that are under investigation by the department of public health. In 2022, 425 heat-associated deaths were recorded. As of Nov. 1, 66 cases from 2022 are still under investigation.
There are two ways to classify heat-associated deaths: heat caused and heat related. Heat caused deaths are cases that mention heat or heat exposure in part one of the death certificate cause of death – in other words, heat is the direct cause of death.
For heat related deaths, heat exposure is mentioned in part two of a person’s death certificate and is not mentioned anywhere in part one – meaning heat may be related, but not the direct cause of death.
The numbers reported by the department of public health can change week to week. Cases can leave the “under investigation” classification and become confirmed or unconfirmed, or additional data received could alter numbers.
You can click here to read the report for the week of Oct. 22 - Oct. 28.
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