TORONTO (Reuters) - Deaths linked to a heat wave in Canada’s Quebec province has nearly doubled to 33 from the last count, health officials said on Thursday, as extreme weather conditions that have gripped central and eastern Canada reached their peak.

Canada’s weather department added smog warnings for certain areas of the province on Thursday, when the heat wave is forecast to end.

Eighteen of the victims were in Montreal, while the rest died in areas across southern Quebec, the officials said. The people who died were living out of bounds and often vulnerable due to conditions such as substance abuse, chronic ailments and mental illnesses, they added.

Montreal previously raised the city’s response level to “intervention” from “alert” after a spike in heat-related calls to the government’s health information line and for ambulances.

Heat warnings were also issued for much of Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. </s> TORONTO: Deaths linked to a heat wave in Canada´s Quebec province has nearly doubled to 33 from the last count, health officials said on Thursday, as extreme weather conditions that have gripped central and eastern Canada reached their peak.

Canada´s weather department added smog warnings for certain areas of the province on Thursday, when the heat wave is forecast to end.

Eighteen of the victims were in Montreal, while the rest died in areas across southern Quebec, the officials said.

The people who died were living out of bounds and often vulnerable due to conditions such as substance abuse, chronic ailments and mental illnesses, they added.

Montreal previously raised the city´s response level to "intervention" from "alert" after a spike in heat-related calls to the government´s health information line and for ambulances.

Heat warnings were also issued for much of Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. </s> July 5 (UPI) -- More than 30 people have died as a result of a heat wave in the Canadian province of Quebec, officials said Thursday.

The heat-related death toll increased to 34 as temperatures rose as high as 95 F and Environment Canada issued a smog and heat warning for the province, the CBC reported.

Montreal's health department reported 18 deaths, seven were reported in the Eastern Townships, six were reported in the Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec region, Montérégie's public health department reported two and one more was reported in Laval.

The heat wave began last Friday and the death toll has increased every day this week.

Most of the victims were between 50 to 80 years old and Montreal public health official Mylene Drouin said most of those who died in Montreal were older than 65, had no air conditioning and had prior health issues.

Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois said none of the deaths in Quebec took place in public health institutions.

"We have to remain vigilant and continue to take precautions to avoid health problems," said Charlebois.

Officials urged residents to keep themselves hydrated and remain in the shade, while Montreal opened pools and air conditioned spaces to the public.

"We're doing everything we can," Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said.

Plante also said first responders have been going door-to-door to check on about 15,000 vulnerable residents and encouraged people to check on their neighbors as well.

"'Im counting on Montrealers to knock on doors, maybe of a neighbor, just to find out if the person is OK. It's a team effort," Plante said.

Environment Canada said the heat is supposed to give way on Friday with highs dropping to 75 F. </s> A spokeswoman for Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois confirmed the number of persons who died from the heat, the Canadian Press reported. Local officials cautioned the hot weather will persist over the weekend and beyond despite the authorities lifting the heat warning.

People who were affected by the high temperatures had suffered from chronic illnesses and many of them lived alone, the report cited medical specialists as saying.

Canada’s environmental agency said Thursday the majority of deaths happened Montreal, but other areas affected by the heat wave include Chateauguay/La Prairie, Laval, Longueuil and Varennes, CBC reported. Quebec is experiencing the worst heat wave it has seen in decades and the risk of more deaths remains high.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday offered condolences to those bereaved. He warned that record temperatures were expected to continue. Canada’s emergency service reportedly said earlier it had received over 1,000 of calls a day since the heat began, an uptick of 30 percent from its busiest days. </s> TORONTO — Ontario’s chief coroner says three recent deaths in the province may have been related to heat, compared to dozens already reported in Quebec.

Dr. Dirk Huyer told reporters on Tuesday that the three deaths were reported over the last four days.

Quebec health authorities have said that up to 70 people died from heat-related complications in a recent heat wave, including 34 in Montreal alone.

Huyer says the numbers are so different in part because Ontario performs autopsies before declaring a cause of death, and it can take months for those results to come in.

He says Ontario also defines heat-related deaths differently than Quebec — it only counts a death as heat-related if the temperature is the direct or major cause.

Quebec officials have said many of those who died were already suffering from chronic conditions that were worsened by the heat.

Last week’s heat wave in Quebec and Ontario saw temperatures reach over 35 C, with humidex values in the mid-40s. </s> The heat-related death toll jumped to 34 across Quebec Thursday, as Environment Canada issued a smog and heat warning for today.

As of midday, Montérégie's public health department reported two more deaths caused by the worst heat wave Quebec has seen in decades. Montreal's health department reported 18, and seven have been reported in the Eastern Townships.

One death in Laval and six in the Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec region brought the total number of heat-related deaths in the province up to 34, and more are expected.

It's not clear whether people in other Canadian provinces — including in Ontario — affected by similar extreme heat and humidity have died. That's because the reporting system differs from province to province.



In an email to CBC News, a spokesperson for the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario said that it hadn't had any confirmed reports of heat-related deaths, but added that "an investigation can take at least 90 days before the cause of death is confirmed depending on the circumstances and the complexity of the case."

​

None of the deaths in Quebec took place in public health institutions, according to Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois.

"We have to remain vigilant and continue to take precautions to avoid health problems," Charlebois said Thursday at a news conference.

Charlebois encouraged people to reach out to loved ones, especially those who might be more vulnerable.

"The situation should be back to normal shortly."

Health officials have said the people who died didn't have air conditioning in their homes and had health issues.

Temperatures expected to drop Friday

Humidex values will reach between 40 and 45 in the Montreal region today.

Charlebois praised the health network for working together, saying their efforts bore fruit.

"I think institutions are managing very well right now."

The heat wave began on June 29. Only now, a week later, is there some relief in the forecast. A high of 23 C is predicted for Friday and cooler temperatures will last through the weekend, into next week.

Health officials have said the people who died didn't have air conditioning in their homes and had health issues. (Simon-Marc Charron/Radio-Canada)

Environment Canada says the areas most affected by the heat wave include the Island of Montreal, Châteauguay/La Prairie, Laval, Longueuil and Varennes.

A smog warning is also in effect for those areas as, Environment Canada states, high concentrations of ozone are expected and will result in poor air quality.

"High concentrations of pollutants are expected to persist through tonight," the agency says, noting smog is especially hard on asthmatic children and people with respiratory ailments or heart disease.

Across southern Quebec, public officials have been urging citizens to take precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses while, at the same time, keeping an eye on friends, family and neighbours.

In a press conference Wednesday, Mayor Valérie Plante said she is counting on Montrealers to knock on doors "just to find out if the person is O.K. It's a team effort."

'It's not over yet'

Although the temperature's expected to drop Friday, public health officials in Montreal are warning that they are still in intervention mode, because risk increases with each hot day.

"Today is the highest-risk day for people who have not had access to cold places," said Dr. David Kaiser from Montreal's public health department.

"It's not over yet."

None of the deaths took place in public health institutions, Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois said Thursday. (CBC)

The regional director of Montreal's public health department, Mylène Drouin, said officials have visited 34,000 homes where people might be more vulnerable to those risks.

The 12 people who have died from the heat in Montreal fit the profile of people who are more at risk — many were over the age of 65 and had histories of physical or mental health problems.

"None of them had access to air conditioning," Kaiser said. "Many of them were living alone."

Public health officials in the Eastern Townships and Montreal were asking the population to check on their neighbours. </s> MONTREAL—Health authorities say up to 70 people may have died in Quebec as a result of heat-related complications since the beginning of an early July heat wave that saw temperatures climb to more than 40 C with the humidex.

Temperatures have since cooled off across the province and a spokesperson with Quebec’s Public Health Department says Monday it would no longer be giving updates on heat-related deaths because “the situation is back to normal.” </s> Canadian health officials say up to 70 people may have died in the Quebec province alone due to last week's oppressive heat wave.

The country's Ministry of Health reported 34 of those deaths occurred in the city of Montreal.

Temperatures have since dropped to the mid-80s.

The CBC reported Monday that Quebec's Public Health Department said it would no longer be giving updates on heat-related deaths because "the situation is back to normal.''

Montreal's morgue became so overcrowded during the heat wave that it partnered with a funeral home, where it sent bodies for storage, according to the CBC.

The city's public health office says the majority of people who died in the city during the heat wave were over 60, suffered from chronic illnesses, and had no air conditioning.

Back in 2010, around 100 people died in Montreal due to the sweltering temperatures, according to the AFP. </s> Health authorities say up to 70 people may have died in Quebec as a result of heat-related complications since the beginning of theheat wave that saw temperatures climb to more than 40 C with the humidex.

Temperatures have since cooled off across the province and a spokesperson with Quebec's Public Health Department said Monday that it would no longer be giving updates on heat-related deaths because "the situation is back to normal.''

Most of the deaths occurred in Montreal, with 34 cases reported to authorities.

The city's morgue became so overcrowded during the heat wave that it partnered with a funeral home, where it sent bodies for storage.

Montreal's public health office says the majority of people who died in the city during the heat wave were over 60 and suffered from chronic illnesses.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said no patients died in government-run health care centres.
The death toll from the worst heat wave in decades in Quebec rises to 34.