LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — In a record-shattering summer that brought 100 days of temperatures 100 degrees or hotter, heat-related deaths in Southern Nevada have reached 224 — and counting. That’s an increase of 43 since Clark County’s last update about two weeks ago.
The report is not final because of the amount of time it takes to investigate the cause and manner of each death. About 90% of the cases investigated by the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner take up to 90 days. Totals may not include some deaths that happened in June, July and August.
The report released by the county listed 184 deaths, most involving victims who were 70 or older. The 40 additional cases known to be heat-related are waiting for confirmation of the victim’s identity or notification of next of kin.
The most recent death included on the list occurred on Aug. 18 — a sign that the total will continue to grow in the coming months.
A total of 53 deaths were related in some way to methamphetamines — only slightly more than the 50 deaths attributed to environmental heat stress, heat exposure or other environmental factors. Another 20 involved hypertension, 11 were from hypothermia and three were classified simply as heat stroke.
County officials noted that some kinds of drug use makes people more susceptible to succumbing to the heat — including fentanyl. Other contributing factors can include illnesses and heart disease, as well as physical exertion, inappropriate clothing, lack of acclimatization and failure to drink fluids.
Ages of the victims showed four in their 20s, 17 in their 30s, 30 in their 40s, 32 in their 50s, 42 in their 60s, 35 in their 70s, 20 in their 80s and four people in their 90s.
