"The number of heat-related deaths in Arizona soared to a new high last year as people endured the hottest summer on record and the complications of the pandemic.
The deaths of at least 494 people were linked to heat during 2020, state health officials said this week, a preliminary number that may continue to grow as more deaths under investigation are resolved.
More than 300 heat-associated deaths have been confirmed in Maricopa County, a number that could also climb.
The statewide toll far surpassed the previous record of 283 heat-related deaths reported in 2019. Over the past five years, state figures show, heat has been linked to more than 1,500 deaths in Arizona."
Ian James reports for the Arizona Republic January 31, 2021.
Source: Arizona Republic, 02/02/2021
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