1,222 people died in Belgium in only 12 days during the heatwave.

Omissions

• The 1,222 figure measures EXCESS mortality (deaths above the statistically expected baseline), not deaths individually certified as directly caused by heat; the claim's phrasing 'we lost 1,222 people... during the heatwave' is the standard media/government framing of that excess-deaths statistic.
• The figure was provisional at the time of the speech: Sciensano later revised the estimate upward to 1,747 excess deaths for the period (published 8 July 2026, the day after the session), so the MEP's number was the official figure then available, not an understatement he could have known.
• The heatwave period 18–29 June 2026 indeed spans 12 days, matching the claim's 'only 12 days'.
• The MEP did not cite the source (SPF Santé Publique/Sciensano) in the speech.

Sources

• PrimarySPF Santé Publique (Federal Public Service Health, Belgium) — provisional excess-mortality figuresD'après des données préliminaires, la Belgique a enregistré une surmortalité de 39% (+1222 décès supplémentaires) entre le jeudi 18 juin et le [lundi 29 juin] [durant la vague de chaleur].
• SecondaryRTBF (Belgian public broadcaster)La Belgique a enregistré une 'forte' surmortalité de 39% soit 1222 décès supplémentaires entre le jeudi 18 juin et le lundi 29 juin à la suite de la vague de chaleur.
• SecondaryEuronewsProvisional data from the country's health ministry showed there were 1,222 excess deaths during the period [18–29 June], with more than half of these [among the over-85s].
• SecondaryVRT NWS (Belgian public broadcaster)Last week, the figure stood at 1,222 extra deaths between 18 and 29 June, but these were provisional figures. Sciensano has now revised [the estimate to 1,747 additional deaths].
• SecondaryEuractivBelgium recorded 39 percent more deaths than normal between June 18 and 29 as a sweltering heatwave gripped much of Europe.