Summer is not over. But July is.

FRANCE REPORTS FINAL DEATH TOLL FOR JULY HEATWAVE

PARIS August 3, 2006 (AFP) - The heatwave that struck most of France in the second half of July was a factor in the deaths of 112 people, according to figures Thursday from the Health Monitoring Institute (INVS) [Institut de Veille Sanitaire]. ... Twelve of those who died suffered hyperthermia while working in the sun, and most of the rest were elderly [66 or ~59%].

July was the hottest in France on record, with average temperatures up to four degrees Celsius above normal, according to the state meteorological office.

Congratulations of a sort to France for making an anxious and considerable effort to attend to her at-risk communities during the heat wave. Yet congratulations remain guarded. First, because the total of 2003 fatalities is an easy number to best and has become a misleading benchmark to measure France's improved response. And we are still struck by the selfishness of certain groups (here and here) to the plight of the at-risk.

However, our unreserved praise to the teams of the SAMU and SMUR, who well serve their public trust.

PFFT (What is this?): Long hot summer 4¼ | Rayonnement français 2½