In Missouri, 166 more people die each year of heat-related illnesses than are officially reported, according to an analysis by NPR and Boston University.
As part of a joint investigation, the two-year project created a new statistical model that aims to address the difference between reported and actual heat-related deaths.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports annual heat deaths through its WONDER data system. According to those figures, 26 people in Missouri die of heat-related causes on average each year…