New Delhi: A scorching heatwave continues to affect several parts of India. Delhi, the national capital of India is the worst hit among all the states, with recording a maximum temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius on May 29, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). However, later on Saturday, IMD said that the data was faulty. Despite the faulty temperature, it felt no less than 50 degrees Celsius. Amid the increasing heatwave with every passing day, India has reported 56 deaths from 24,849 suspected cases of heat stroke between March and May, according to data released by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday.
As per the complied data issued by the National Centre Disease Control (NCDC), 46 of these deaths were reported in May itself. On the other hand, between May 1 and 30th, around 19,189 suspected heat stroke cases were reported in the country.
According to official data, deaths related to heatstroke were reported from Odisha (10), Bihar (8), Jharkhand (4) and Uttar Pradesh (1) on Thursday. Rajasthan has reported at least five heat-related deaths so far. On the other hand, Madhya Pradesh saw 14 confirmed deaths due to heatstroke over the last three months followed by Maharashtra which recorded around 11 cases, the ministry data revealed. Moreover, this data does not include deaths from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi and the final numbers are expected to be higher, reported PTI.
Heatstroke or hyperthermia behind the cause of deaths
The reason behind the deaths is listed to be heat stroke or hyperthermia where the measured antemortem body temperature at the time of collapse was higher than or equal to 40.6 degrees Celsius, according to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The ‘Autopsy Findings in Heat-Related Deaths’, a set of guidelines also released by the NCDC in March revealed that heat-related deaths are the ones which happen due to exposure to high ambient temperature.
Tips to stay protected in this high heat:
Drink enough water, even if you are not thirsty, this is to make sure that you don’t get dehydrated.
Avoid alcohol and drinks with caffeine, like coffee and energy or sports drinks. These beverages can lead to water loss in the body and can raise blood glucose levels too.
Keep checking the glucose levels in the body before, during, and after you are active. You may need to change how much insulin you use.
Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-coloured clothing.
Wear sunscreen and a hat when you’re outside.
Don’t go barefoot. Protect your feet always!
Physical activity is usually associated with a reduced need for insulin. The latter may increase the risk of low blood glucose. in higher temperatures, people are at risk for both low and high blood glucose.
As per the complied data issued by the National Centre Disease Control (NCDC), 46 of these deaths were reported in May itself. On the other hand, between May 1 and 30th, around 19,189 suspected heat stroke cases were reported in the country. Health Conditions Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
