Heat wave in Egypt kills 40

15 people have died in the capital Cairo, four in Matrouh city and 3 in the Upper Egyptian city of Qena.

Numerous injured victims were admitted and then released from hospital, however there are others that still remain under observation, the ministry said.

Since the beginning of August, Egypt has been experiencing a severe heat wave; meteorologists do not expect temperatures to fall before 20 August.

At least 66 people sickened by heat exhaustion Sunday; 29 of them have been already released from hospital while the rest are being hospitalized, according to the statement.

The ministry said Tuesday that most of those killed were elderly.

The toll rose in five days due to the unprecedented heat, which was made increasingly unbearable by high levels of humidity, a source reported.

Temperatures peaked at 46˚C earlier in the week as meteorological officials say the temperature would drop to 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 Farenheit) on Wednesday.

The Middle East has been hit by a heatwave since late July, with a high atmospheric pressure ridge hovering above much of the region. Egyptian summers are usually hot, but temperatures this week soared to 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) in the south.

“There is a big rise in temperature compared with previous years”.