Heat wave, COVID-19, and mortality excess in the 2022 summer: a cohort study on data from Italian surveillances

Abstract

We aimed to assess differences in the summer excess of mortality by COVID-19 history using data from the mortality and COVID-19 surveillances. We found 4% excess risk in 2022 summer, compared to 2015-2019. A mortality rate ratio of 1.59 (95%CI 1.39-1.82) for COVID-19 survivors compared to naive, was found. Both were higher in people aged >74 years. During the July heat wave, the excess for COVID-19 survivors decreased and disappeared when excluding people living in nursing homes.