French hospitals trigger Plan Blanc in response to severe heat wave

Hospitals in western and southeastern France activated the emergency "Plan Blanc" as a record heat wave drove a sharp rise in emergency admissions. The Centre Hospitalier de Saint‑Nazaire opened the plan on 7 July, its second activation in fifteen days, to manage more than 200 daily ER visits, mainly elderly patients suffering dehydration. The hospital postponed surgeries, converted meeting rooms into temporary wards and received civil‑protection personnel for logistical support, while staff warned of exhaustion as the summer heat persists.

In the Var department, all public hospitals—including Toulon‑La Seyne, Hyères, Brignoles‑Le Luc, Fréjus‑Saint‑Raphaël, Saint‑Tropez and Draguignan—raised their response to level 1 of the Plan Blanc. The move aims to preserve continuity of care amid increasing admissions, a strike by ambulance transport workers that slows patient discharge, and reduced emergency capacity. Officials urged the public to contact their GP before visiting emergency services.