Portugal records 1000 deaths due to heat wave

Portugal has reported more than 1,000 deaths due to the current heat wave.

The country’s health chief, Graça Freitas, warned that the country must gear up to cope with the effects of climate change as temperatures continue to rise.

Freitas previously reported 238 excess deaths due to the heat wave from July 7 to 13, but the number of fatalities has now increased to 1,063 for the period up to July 18.

Temperatures across drought-stricken Portugal surpassed 40 degrees Celsius last week, although they have dropped in the last few days.