The World Health Organization said Sunday that more than 1,300 excess deaths had been recorded in Europe since June 21 in connection with the record-breaking heatwave roasting much of the continent. Tens of millions have been braving a weekend of extreme temperatures in Europe as a deadly heatwave moves eastwards, with some countries announcing rising death tolls and health services warning of saturation. On Sunday morning, French health officials said there had been around 1,000 more deaths than expected in that country just since Wednesday. Read moreFrance records around 1,000 excess deaths during heatwave And across Europe, "more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded since 21 June linked to high temperatures in Europe", WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. "Heat stress is often called the 'silent killer' – and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures," he said. At least 191 million people are forecast to endure temperatures of at least 35 °C on Sunday in Europe, with the heat particularly intense in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The Czech Republic set its second temperature record in two days on Sunday, with 41.1 °C recorded in Doksany north of Prague, the meteorological institute CHMI said. "This is the first time we have ever registered a temperature of 41 degrees in our official weather station network. Temperatures are still growing, so this is not the final high," CHMI added on X. A total of 381 million people in Europe, excluding Turkey, will see temperatures surpass 30 °C, according to analysis based on forecasts from the German Meteorological Service and 2025 population projections from the Joint Research Centre collated by Austrian NGO Klimadashboard. Read moreParis dream turns to nightmare as rooftop dwellers bake in historic heatwave Millions of people across the continent are currently "living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling", Tedros warned. "Driven by climate change and global warming, the phenomenon of the 'once-in-a-generation' heatwave is now occurring nearly annual," he said, pointing out that "Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average". The WHO chief said the United Nations health agency was "working with its Member States and partners to address the health threats posed by extreme heat through focusing on preparedness, prevention and stronger health system responses". He called on European countries to "implement heat health action plans", as part of a push to safeguard health in the face of climate change. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)