The latest three deaths related to what has been described as the country's longest heatwave on record were reported over the weekend.

Two men aged 80 and 95 died after being hospitalised in Athens and on the Aegean island of Naxos, a ministry statement said.

A third man, a foreigner whose age and identity were not released, died on the island of Crete from the heat and over-consumption of alcohol, it said.

Most of those who have died during the heatwave have been elderly people suffering health problems.

Since Friday temperatures have returned to normal summer seasonal levels, after rising to a record 46 degrees Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) in Athens on June 26, the highest since records there began in 1955, the national weather service said.

The heatwave is also believed to have facilitated the outbreak of more than 100 fires around the country since last Wednesday, one of which reached the outskirts of Athens on Mount Parnitha.

The health ministry said Monday that residents of the Athens region did not suffer particular respiratory problems from the forest fire in the national park northwest of the capital.