Nicosia, Jul 17 (IANS): Cyprus medical authorities have reported the first heatstroke death of this year as a Sahara heat wave has persisted for a fourth day and the meteorology service predicted it will continue for at least one more week.

The spokesman of the State Health Services Organization, Charalambos Charilaou said the victim was a 90-year-old man who died after collapsing at a care house, reports Xinhua news agency.

Charilaou said that two more people aged 77 and 78 were also taken to hospital after developing heatstroke-like symptoms.

The heat wave, which originated in the Sahara more than eight days ago, has been searing European countries for a week.

Cyprus has been recording temperatures well over 40 degrees Celsius in the past few days, with the normal temperatures for the season being about 38 degrees.

Cyprus' Meteorological Department reported a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius on July 14 and issued three successive orange (amber) warnings, the last ending late on Sunday, as temperatures persisted at 43 degrees.

An orange warning is the second-highest warning of a three-level warning system used by authorities to regulate work outdoors during high-heat hours.

Director of the Department of Meteorology Kleanthis Nicolaides said that temperatures of around 42 degrees Celsius are forecast for the next few days.