Emergency room admissions rise as Italy places 18 cities on red alert amid heat wave
Italy placed 18 major cities under red alerts amid a heat wave, increasing emergency room admissions by 10-15% and causing disruptions like court suspensions in Palermo and ticket sales halts at Florence's Uffizi Gallery.
- World
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 02:37 | 26 June 2026
Admissions to emergency rooms across Italy rose as 18 major cities were placed under red alerts on Friday amid an ongoing heat wave.
"We can estimate an increase in admissions of 10-15% in the Emergency-urgency departments of large cities," said Alessandro Riccardi, president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine, according to the ANSA news agency.
Riccardi said the increase in admissions remains limited and that there is no cause for alarm.
The Italian Health Ministry placed 18 major cities on red alert due to high temperatures, including Genoa, Florence, Milan, Rome, Turin and Venice.
The heat wave is believed to have contributed to the deaths of at least five people across the country.
Courts in Palermo suspended hearings until June 29 due to extreme heat and air-conditioning problems, while Florence's Uffizi Gallery extended a halt on ticket sales until Sunday, allowing entry only to visitors with pre-booked tickets.
Across most parts of Italy, temperatures are expected to exceed 30C (86F) on Friday.