The rising temperature in the state of Maharashtra has caused death of two people and 89 people have been hospitalised in one month. The reason behind the cause of death is heatstroke. From April 11, changing wind pattern and surface heating during the day, and the presence of weather systems in northwestern parts of India, led to light rain and thundershowers in the evening in parts of south-central Maharashtra, Konkan and isolated areas of central Maharashtra, leading to a marginal drop in temperatures.
The public health department recently confirmed the death of 40-year-old labourer Devaram Nathhu Bheel in Dhulia on March 30 because of the heat. Bheel was working at his farm and at noon he sat under a tree and started feeling uneasy. Soon after that, he fell unconscious was taken to a district hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. An 80-year-old woman from Aurangabad was the first person to die of heatstroke in the state, in the last week of March.
Last year, 538 people had to be hospitalised and two died because of heatstroke. A majority of cases (141) were reported from Nagpur.
Dr P Awte, state surveillance officer, said that even this year, Nagpur (67) has reported maximum cases, followed by Akola (12), Latur (7), Aurangabad (2) and Nashik (1). “We are receiving weekly weather conditions and prediction data from the India Meteorology Department (IMD), based on which we are sending advisories to the affected districts. In our primary and secondary care public hospitals, we have created air-conditioned rooms for patients of heatstroke and residents are advised to avoid stepping out from noon to 3pm and reduce the intake of carbonated drinks, alcohol, tea and coffee, which reduce water levels in the body,” said Dr Awte to Hindustan Times.