29.08.2026 18:21
As Tunisia's city of Kairouan recorded 49.8 degrees Celsius, becoming the second hottest city in the world, the scorching heat wave affecting the country has brought the health system to a standstill. With hospitals' emergency departments seeing an 'unprecedented' increase in heatstroke cases and fatalities due to the extreme heat, health workers have called for a state of emergency to be declared in response to the mounting pressure.
It has been reported that hospitals have seen an "unprecedented" increase in emergency room admissions due to sunstroke and high temperatures, as well as in fatalities, because of the extreme heat affecting Tunisia.
A written statement from Tunisia's Young Doctors Organization noted that an "unprecedented" increase has been recorded in the number of hospitalizations and deaths due to sunstroke and extreme heat in emergency departments across various regions of the country.
The statement indicated that deaths have occurred in some emergency departments, noting that doctors and nurses are working "under pressure exceeding the health system's capacity" and experiencing "extreme fatigue."
MINISTRY IS COLLECTING DATA It was noted that the relevant units of Tunisia's Ministry of Health are collecting data on heat-related deaths, sunstroke cases, and the capacity of intensive care units, but have not yet released official figures.
The Tunisian Young Doctors Organization called for "declaring a state of health emergency" due to the current situation.
13 DEATHS IN 24 HOURS AT A SINGLE HOSPITAL The organization's president, Wajih Zekkar, stated in a post on his Facebook account last night that 13 people had died within 24 hours at Habib Bourguiba Hospital in the city of Sfax, located in the east of the country.
Tunisian authorities have not yet published official statistics regarding deaths related to the heat wave.
THE 2ND HOTTEST CITY IN THE WORLD During the severe heat wave that has affected a large part of Tunisia since Wednesday, August 26, a temperature of 49.8 degrees Celsius was recorded in the central city of Kairouan. According to data from the Tunisian Observatory for Weather and Climate, Kairouan became the second hottest city in the world, after Mehran, Iran, where 50 degrees was measured.
Uqba ibn Nafi Mosque. Kairouan, Tunisia The observatory reported that 6 of the 20 hottest points in the world are located in Tunisia, with Béja, Jendouba, Gabès, Tozeur, and Zaghouan, along with Kairouan, being among these cities.
ELECTRICITY OUTAGES OCCURRING The extreme heat wave coincided with the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) resuming temporary electricity outages in various parts of the country.
STEG stated that the outages are carried out to "preserve the safety and sustainability of the electrical system."
Tunisian President Kais Saied also stated on Thursday, August 27, that prolonged water and electricity outages, which could exceed 10 hours in some areas including the capital Tunis, "cannot be considered merely temporary events or isolated cases."