As parts of the United States dealt with extreme heat and humidity this past week, so too did central and eastern Canada. The heat and humidity was so intense for these regions that its led to multiple deaths.

According to recent news reports out of Canada, through Friday morning at least 50 deaths have been connected to the recent intense heat across Quebec.

This was up from a total of 33 deaths as of Thursday, and up from the reported 18 deaths in Montreal through Wednesday.

As reported by CTV, those who died in Montreal were predominantly men aged 53 to 85 who lived alone and without air conditioning. It was also reported that those living in poorer areas with less vegetation suffered the most during the heat wave.

As well, it was reported that there was a 30 percent uptick in 911 calls for heat-related health issues, similar to what happen during the a deadly heat across the same region during 2010.

The heat wave, which started last Saturday, led to a humidex (Canada’s version of the heat index) of 44 degrees Celsius (heat index of ) for several consecutive days.

Relief has begun to move into central and eastern Canada, with temperatures returning to near-normal levels around 25 degrees Celsius, or 77 degrees Fahrenheit. This is all happening in the wake of a cold front, showers and storms that sweep across these regions Thursday night into Friday morning.

Tune into WeatherNation for the last forecast for intense heat in the United States.