The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office said Wednesday it estimates there were five to 10 deaths in the county that may have been related to excessive heat.
However, the agency said it will take months to determine “as the investigations are ongoing and deaths continue to be reported that may be heat-related.”
Those investigations can take weeks to months to complete, in part due to testing such as toxicology.
“The National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) established guidelines and criteria for certifying heat-related deaths, both as a direct cause and as a contributory cause, following the July 1995 heat wave that contributed to over 700 deaths. These guidelines, in conjunction with thorough investigations, will provide the most accurate reflection of how the extreme heat has affected our community,” the medical examiner’s office said in a news release.
