Health Ministry issues sunstroke warning

The Health Ministry Sunday issued a heatwave alert as mercury levels are expected to jump 38 degrees Celsius above their seasonal average across much of the Kingdom.

According to the ministry’s Health Communication and Awareness Directorate warning, sunstroke is the most serious form of heat injury, and is considered a medical emergency that may lead to death or cause damage to the brain and other internal organs.

Heatstroke risks are high among people who have to carry out activities under the sun for a long time. Risks affect people including babies and very young children, older people, construction workers, soldiers, soccer players as well as those with a pre-existing medical condition such as chronicle heart diseases, diabetes, respiratory or renal problem, or other severe illnesses.

The advice is to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm if possible, wear light and loose-fitting cotton clothes and avoid extreme physical exertion.

Heat stroke results from prolonged exposure to high temperatures — usually in combination with dehydration — which leads to failure of the body’s temperature control system. The medical definition of heat stroke is a core body temperature greater than 40 degrees Celsius, with complications involving the central nervous system that occur after exposure to high temperatures.

The warning advises public to watch out for the effects of heat-related illness that include swelling, dizziness, rash, red skin, cramps, fainting, muscle weakness and the worsening of some health conditions.

It also recommends people to stay hydrated, preferably drink enough fluids and to try to find shady or cool places, wear sunscreen and sunhats if they are out for some reasons.

Rapid reduction of the core body temperature is the cornerstone of treatment for people diagnosed with heatstroke, the warning said, stressing that once heatstroke is suspected, cooling must be initiated at the scene and must be continued during the patient’s resuscitation and before transporting him to the nearest emergency department for further evaluation and treatment.

Source: Fana News