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Extreme heat persists in the Valley
Maricopa County has released its latest heat death report as temperatures are forecast to reach record-breaking territory this weekend.
PHOENIX - Maricopa County has released the latest weekly heat report amid an unrelenting heat wave - and it appears that heat deaths are down compared to this time last year.
As of July 11, 12 people have died from the heat so far this year, with 55 deaths still under investigation.
During this time in 2022, there were 17 confirmed heat deaths with 126 fatalities under investigation.
All the deaths happened outside, according to the report.
Other data to note:
- Hospitalizations for heat-related issues have steadily risen since April.
- More men (65%) than women (35%) are being hospitalized for heat-related illness.
- Residents ages 75 and older make up a third (33%) of heat deaths in Maricopa County.
According to the National Weather Service, extreme heat is the number one weather-related killer during an average year in the United States.
Read the report: