Mumbai: As the mercury continues to rise, the State's Public Health Department has constituted a three-member committee to investigate heat stroke deaths.
Comprising district health officials, including surgeon, surveyor and physician, the committee will have to submit a report within three days of death. No fatalities from heat stroke have been reported this year, so far, while 31 suspected deaths occurred in 2022.
As per the official data, Maharashtra witnessed seven suspected cases of heat stroke daily between April 1 and April 12 as compared to eight cases recorded per day in March. From March 1 to April 12, 357 suspected cases were reported. Of them, 93 cases were reported in April, while 268 were recorded in March; which means nearly 75% of cases.
One confirmed heat stroke case so far
So far, just one confirmed heat stroke case has been reported from Satara district, while 20% of suspected cases are from Mumbai suburban (72), followed by Nandurbar (64), Yavatmal (46), Osmanabad (33), Wardha (29), Latur (26) and Nanded (21).
State health officials said they are expecting a rise in cases in the coming months and alerts and advisories have already been sent out. Officials said they have also urged people to take precautions by staying hydrated, wearing loose clothing and consuming high protein food.
“Every year in Maharashtra from March 1 to July 31, measures, including daily monitoring and survey, are planned at various levels for the prevention and control of heat disorders. All districts and municipalities have been asked to provide information on heat stroke,” said a doctor.
Senior official from the state health department said usually heat stroke cases are not reported in Mumbai district, but this time weather has led to a surge in cases. In March, the temperature was above 35 degree Celsius for most of the time and even in the last 4-5 days, the temperature is hovering around 38-40 degrees Celsius.
“Mumbaikars are used to high temperatures but the current situation is totally different compared to the last 2-3 years. We get cases of heat stroke but very few, however, cases related to dehydration, diarrhea, loose motion have increased at all the hospitals,” the official said.
How heatwaves affect our bodies
Dr Madhukar Gaikwad, Physician at the Sir JJ Hospital, said heat waves can affect the human body in many ways. When a person suffers from heatwave, their internal system can't adapt to the suddenly high temperature. Sweating has a cooling effect on the body. Hence, once a person stops sweating, they are more prone to suffer from exhaustion, which can quickly turn into a heat stroke, requiring immediate medical attention.
“When heat stroke occurs, the body temperature can rise to approximately 106°F or higher, within 10-15 minutes. Heatstroke can also cause death or permanent disability, if emergency treatment is not given at the right time. Some symptoms of heatstroke include hot or dry skin or profuse sweating, seizures, high body temperature, confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech and loss of consciousness,” he explained.
People at high-risk of heat stroke
Persons aged 65 years and above
Children aged 1 to 5 years
Pregnant mothers
People with diabetes, heart disease and alcoholics
Causes of Heatstroke
Doing laborious work for long hours
Working in a high temperature room
Using tight clothing
