Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. This can happen when the body overheats during a heat wave or in a hot climate. This potentially fatal condition is a result of prolonged heat exposure or physical exertion, when the body’s core temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher. Heat stroke needs immediate first aid to lower body temperature as quickly as possible. If not, it can lead to organ damage and death.
The World Health Organization said population exposure to heat is increasing due to climate change, and this trend will continue. Globally, extreme temperature events are observed to be increasing in their frequency, duration, and magnitude. Climate scientists said that by the end of the century, parts of Southeast Asia, Pakistan, India, the Persian Gulf and Central America will experience maximum humidity levels at temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius much more often.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Friday that the heat index in Metro Manila will likely reach 50 degrees Celsius on Saturday. Heat index is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature.
Pagasa’s 50 degrees Celsius prediction is the highest in its five-day heat index monitoring that began on April 21, based on the forecast of its Science Garden station in Quezon City.
Luckily for residents in the metropolis, an intermittent drizzle on Saturday afternoon was just enough to ease their suffering from suffocating heat.
Bloomberg report on Thursday: “Scorching temperatures are roasting Asia this week, stretching the region’s power grids and raising health risks as the chances of more extreme events later in the year increase. The worst drought in a decade is impacting a key Chinese aluminum hub, while searing temperatures in India have increased the possibility of deadly heat waves and blackouts.”
Bloomberg said Thailand hit a national record of more than 45 degrees Celsius (113F) last week, while countries such as Bangladesh are also seeing April temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius. “Record heat in Thailand, China and South Asia is a clear climate trend and will cause public health challenges for years to come,” said Fahad Saeed, an Islamabad-based scientist with Climate Analytics.
The Associated Press reported last week that climate change is causing more “heat stress” in Europe. The European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said comparisons of data going back over decades show record heat last year resulted in hazardous conditions for human health.
“Southern Europe experienced a record number of days with ‘very strong heat stress’,” defined as temperatures from 38 to 46 degrees Celsius (100 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit), it said. The number of summer days with “strong” (32 to 38 Celsius) or “very strong” heat stress is rising across the continent, while in southern Europe this is also the case for “extreme heat stress” days above 46 Celsius, Copernicus said.
Heat stress is increasingly viewed as a significant issue worldwide as the planet warms due to human-made climate change. Experts say it can cause a wide range of health problems, including rashes, dehydration and heat stroke.
The World Health Organization has issued health guidance for the public on coping with extreme heat: Avoid going outside during the hottest time of the day; avoid strenuous physical activity as much as possible; take cool showers or baths; drink water or fruit juice to rehydrate and avoid alcohol and too much caffeine and sugar; eat small meals and eat more often; and try to get help if you feel dizzy, weak, anxious or have intense thirst and headache.
Pagasa has been predicting high heat indices in the country. People should stay out of the sun to avoid getting heat exhaustion or heat stroke. People can avoid heat stress by limiting outdoor activity to when it’s coolest, like morning and evening hours.
Extremely hot weather has pushed the Department of Education to remind heads of public and private schools nationwide that they have the authority to suspend or cancel in-person classes and instead implement modular distance learning modes. A teachers’ group, on the other hand, is pushing for shortened teaching time and smaller class sizes to address the extreme heat during summer.
Public and private entities with field personnel would do well to follow the MMDA’s policy of giving traffic employees a 30-minute “heat stroke break” as precaution against heat-triggered illness from the scorching weather. It pays to adopt preventive measures to reduce heat stress among outdoor workers. As a wise man once said, “if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business.”
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