Hyderabad: With temperatures being consistently high, the number of sunstroke cases in city hospitals is rising, with more cases expected in May, usually the hottest month.
Emergency Management and Research institute (EMRI) has reported 77 cases of sunstroke from February to April 18. The numbers have risen as the summer has progressed, with 17 cases recorded in February, 23 in March and 37 cases till April 18. Osmania Hospital has reported 10 cases of sunstroke in April, according to sources.
While the city has not reported any fatalities, the northern parts of the state have recorded six deaths in a span of 24 hours in April.
Dr Shivaraju K., senior consultant, department of medicine, KIMS Hospital, said people often suffer from heat-related ailments like exhaustion, cramps or headaches when they spend a long time in air-conditioned surroundings or in front of air coolers, followed by immediate exposure to heat.
Speaking on the treatment, Dr Dilip Gude, senior consultant physician at Yashoda Hospital, said for heat exhaustion and heat stroke, with delayed therapy, the death rate climbs 80 per cent. With early diagnosis and immediate cooling, the mortality rate can be reduced to 10 per cent.
“People suffering from uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and kidney disease should be more cautious when venturing out as water loss and extreme heat can worsen their underlying conditions,” Dr Gude said.
Last week, three noted environmentalists — Dr Narasimha Reddy Donthi, B.V. Subba Rao and Prof K. Purushottam Reddy — wrote a letter to Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar flagging concerns about the adverse effects of high temperatures and heat waves.
