Maricopa County officials reported an additional 30 confirmed heat-associated deaths on Wednesday, bringing the 2023 count to 89. At least 349 death are still under investigation, according to the weekly heat report.

The first heat-associated death this year was reported on April 11, more than a month after the first reported death in 2022. Heat-associated deaths are defined as deaths both directly and indirectly caused by heat.

This year is expected to be a record-breaking year.

“Our Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Jeff Johnston, does think heat deaths will surpass 2022. At this point, we do not know by how many. It will be months before Public Health researches all the heat death cases and provides a total,” Jessie Caraveo, spokesperson for the Maricopa County Medical Examiners’ Office said.

The pace of deaths week by week continues to increase, with the recent report showing a jump from 20 to 30 deaths in the past week.

By this time last year, 66 confirmed heat deaths had been reported with 268 deaths under investigation by the county. This summer’s wave is outpacing the already record-breaking 2022 total of 425 heat-related deaths.

The heat and the record pace of deaths have caused headaches for Maricopa County officials, who have been forced to bring in coolers for the first time since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic because morgues in the area were over capacity…Source – Read More!