Commuters cover their faces with clothes to protect themselves from sun on a hot summer day (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)The blistering heat over the last few days has led to a spike in cases of diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, typhoid, heatstroke and viral fever. The mercury touched an all-time high of 48 degree celsius on Monday, leaving several residents, including children, in distress.
Heatstroke is caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures — usually in combination with dehydration — which leads to failure of the body’s temperature control system.
Doctors also said there has been a surge in the number of cases of diarrhoea in children between the age of one and five years.
“People should identify symptoms of heatstroke. Those with a history of hypertension and diabetes should be careful and avoid going out in the heat. The number of patients has definitely gone up in the last few days. The most important thing is to stay hydrated; the level of water should be maintained within the body,” said Dr Ashutosh Biswas, department of internal medicine at AIIMS.
According to experts, one should immediately seek medical help if high-grade fever, dizziness, and vomiting persists for more than two days.
