PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 Valley health officials released new data on heat-related deaths on Tuesday that is raising some concerns as the summer heat ramps up.<\/p>\n
According to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health<\/a>, six people have died in the Phoenix area in connection to the heat since April. Five of those also involved some kind of substance, like drugs or alcohol and three of them were homeless.<\/p>\n The six deaths are quite lower than last year at this time, when the Phoenix area had 15 confirmed deaths.<\/p>\n However, officials say there is a big increase year-over-year in heat-related deaths still under investigation. As of Saturday, 225 deaths are still being analyzed to see if they\u2019re heat-related. This time last year, there were 166.<\/p>\n Nick Staab, chief medical officer<\/a> at MCDPH, said it\u2019s too early to tell if there is a true increase in heat-related deaths compared to 2024. He said investigations can take months at a time and vary on several factors other than heat, like age and substances involved.<\/p>\n Staab believes the investments in extra cooling centers and extended operating hours are making a difference. \u201cOur data really shows that we need to plan for the whole heat season, not just specific days. So that\u2019s where we really call on people to do, to know your own risk, have a plan for how you\u2019re going to stay cool and really check on your community members, older individuals living near you, family, friends who may be at high risk and make sure that everyone has a plan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Last year, out of the total heat-related deaths, 49% were homeless and 60% were 50 years old or older.<\/p>\n See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n