The Carlos III Institute of Health has increased to 237 the death toll related to high temperatures recorded in the first five days of the heatwave that affects Spain and corresponds to the period from last Sunday—the start of the wave—to Thursday, El Diario reported.

The latest data collected by the daily temperature-related mortality monitoring statistics are for Thursday, which is considered the peak of the wave, a total of 93 deaths were added on that day alone.

Starting on the 10th, the trend was upward, with 15 deaths that day and nearly doubling (28) the next.

On the 12th and 13th days, the death rate from excess heat continued to rise. In fact, on Tuesday, the 12th, 41 people died of this cause, and on Wednesday, the 13th, 60 people.

The most extreme temperatures, which have been recorded in many parts of Spain since last Sunday, began to decline Friday, although all peninsular and Balearic communities continue to be on alert for high records that will still be recorded, up to 44 degrees in some places.

More than 18 million people in Spain are living these days at high health risk due to high temperatures caused by the second heatwave in a month, according to a notice from the Ministry of Health.

A high level of danger means that within five days the set maximum and minimum temperature thresholds are simultaneously exceeded. Twenty-two provinces are over the limit. An additional seven people, totaling 3.7 million, are in the medium-risk category, which suggests that these limits will be exceeded by three to four days. Forty-six percent of the population lives in areas with a high thermal threat.