Maharashtra has witnessed 80% of suspected heat stroke cases from 12 districts from March 2023 to June 20. As many as 2649 suspected heat stroke cases have been reported across the state of which 2,121 cases are from 12 districts, while the remaining are from 23 districts, according to the state health department. Meanwhile, only 12 heat stroke deaths have been recorded during the same period.
A senior health official said the sudden rise in temperature across the state has led to a rise in suspected heat stroke cases. Most cases were reported from rural areas where temperatures were above 40 degrees Celsius, the official added.
Raigad has reported highest suspected heat stroke cases with a tally of 412, followed by Wardha (334), Nagpur (317), Chandrapur (177), Nandurbar (173), Latur (169), Mumbai (155), Thane (153), Aurangabad (124), Yavatmal (97), Nanded (96) and Solapur (91).
Most Cases From Rural Areas: Dr Nitin Ambadekar, Director of Health Services
Dr Nitin Ambadekar, Director of Health Services, in Maharashtra, said, “Most cases were reported from the rural areas in the state, especially those in the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. Apart from the top three districts, Amravati, Chandrapur and Nandurbar accounted for the maximum number of cases in the state. May saw the highest number of suspected heat stroke cases."
Senior Health Official Says High Temp Leads to Heat Exhaustion
Senior health official said that high temperatures can lead to heat exhaustion, especially when a person spends a lot of time outdoors. A human body sweats to reduce its core temperature in a normal situation.
In the case of a heatwave, the body’s core temperature increases, because of prolonged sun exposure or physical exertion in high temperatures. Heatstroke occurs when a person’s body temperature rises to 104F (40 degrees Celsius) or higher – a condition most common in the summer months.
Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion
“Some common symptoms of heat exhaustion include high body temperature, nausea, and altered mental state, changes in sweating patterns, rapid breathing, and severe headaches. While heat exhaustion is preventable and rarely life-threatening, untreated heat stroke can quickly damage your brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles. The damage worsens when the treatment is delayed, increasing the risk of serious complications or death. If a person has symptoms of heat exhaustion, it is important to seek immediate medical care, especially if the situation does not improve in an hour,” he said.
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