Seattle-area heat wave results in several deaths, officials say

At least three people's deaths are linked to last week's record-breaking heat wave, and another three people drowned during the same six-day stretch, Seattle and King County health officials announced Monday evening.

The latest: The deaths — all ruled accidental — are the first fatalities that area health officials have connected to the historic heat wave.

Details: All three people who died due to likely heat exposure were men, per the King County Medical Examiner's Office. They include:

• A 64-year-old Seattle resident who died July 27, and a 65-year-old Issaquah resident, who died July 30, both of whom had underlying conditions related to alcoholism.
• A 77-year-old Seattle resident with a heart condition died on July 29.

Separately, all three drowning victims were male, including:

• A 22-year-old under the influence of drugs who drowned in Shoreline on July 28.
• A 22-year-old man who drowned on July in Seattle on July 29.
• A 67-man with diabetes who drowned in Seattle on July 31.

What health officials are saying: Because heat-related deaths aren't always readily found or confirmed, more could be reported in the coming days.

Details: At least 61 people visited area emergency rooms for heat-related illnesses between Tuesday and Friday last week; emergency room visits for Saturday and Sunday had yet to be tallied as of Monday evening.

Context: The Puget Sound Region had been under an "excessive heat warning" since Tuesday, July 26, with concerns that the temperatures could cause serious health risks.

• The six straight days with 90-plus degree weather were accompanied by hotter-than-normal low temperatures in the 60s, per the National Weather Service.
• Such elevated "high lows" can prove dangerous because people aren't able to find relief from the heat overnight — especially in Seattle, where most residents don't have air conditioning in their homes.