Heatstroke Prevention: Stay Alert for Heat and Rising Humidity

Editorial

16:02 JST, August 19, 2024

A number of people are being transported in emergencies to hospitals due to heatstroke. Severe heat is expected to continue into the second half of August. It is important to remain vigilant.

During the Bon Festival period, heatstroke alerts continued to be issued in many areas. When the humidity rises due to typhoons and other factors, people are more susceptible to heatstroke even when there is no direct sunlight. This is because the humidity makes it difficult for sweat to dry and heat remains inside the body.

Since the start of July, around 10,000 people every week have been transported in emergencies to hospitals for suspected heatstroke nationwide. In Tokyo’s 23 wards, 123 people died of heatstroke in the month of July alone. Compared to July last year, the number of deaths increased by 28.

In the past, people had suffered from heatstroke, but few people died from the condition. However, the number has increased significantly in recent years due to rising temperatures. Heatstroke has become a serious, life-threatening health hazard.

Last month, the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine compiled guidelines for the treatment of severe cases of heatstroke. The guidelines state that an effective way to save the life of a severely ill person is to quickly remove the heat from the body by moistening the body with a misting spray and blowing air over the body.

Medical practitioners are encouraged to share this information and use it to save patients’ lives.

A simple first aid treatment for heatstroke is to apply a plastic bottle filled with a cold fluid to the neck or armpits.

Most people who die of heatstroke are elderly. Most cases are caused by heatstroke while a person is spending a normal day indoors.

Many of the elderly who suffered heatstroke did not use air conditioners. This is probably because, as they age, they become less sensitive to heat and thirst. They are urged to make it a habit to use an air conditioner appropriately and to drink water frequently.

The awareness of the people around the elderly under unusual circumstances can also help to save lives. Elderly people living alone or elderly couples living alone tend to have less contact with the outside world.

It is important for neighbors to talk to each other. Family members who live far away need to frequently contact the elderly to check on their health.

The ongoing prevalence of COVID-19 is concerning. Air conditioning is effective in preventing heatstroke, but keeping rooms closed increases the risk of infection. It is essential to open windows from time to time to ventilate rooms.

Because of the increased opportunities for people to return home and travel during the Bon Festival period, COVID-19 infections have tended to spread after the holiday season every year. Hand, foot and mouth disease and other infectious diseases are also prevalent. Special attention is required because people become more susceptible to infectious diseases when their body is weakened by heatstroke.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 18, 2024)