With the temperature touching 45 degree Celsius in parts of northwest India, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued fresh heatwave warnings for Delhi-NCR and the adjoining areas, including Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh. West Rajasthan, East Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, East Madhya Pradesh, and Gangetic West Bengal, too, are expected to witness heatwaves, the IMD has said.
Moreover, the maximum temperature is likely to rise by 2-3 degree Celsius over northwest India during the next three days. No significant change in the maximum temperatures is likely over the rest of India.
In keeping with the same, IMD suggested the following precautionary measures on Twitter:
*Avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose cotton clothes. Cover your head by using a cloth, hat, or umbrella.
*Drink sufficient water, even if not thirsty. Use ORS, homemade drinks like lassi, torani (rice water), lemon water, buttermilk, etc to keep yourself hydrated.
Dr Shrey Srivastav, MD (Internal Medicine), Sharda Hospital, Noida told indianexpress.com that heatwaves can result in physiological strain, “which could even result in death”. “If you experience high body temperature, throbbing headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, or disorientation consistently, call an ambulance,” Dr Srivastav said.
People with underlying health conditions need to be equally cautious. “Those suffering from migraine can have flare-ups of headaches when exposed to sunlight. People with kidney or heart disease need to balance their fluid intake with losses (through sweat) and urine output (they need to be in touch with their physicians for advice on appropriate fluid intake),” said Dr Sudhir Kumar, senior consultant neurologist, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad.
Further, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) can have “exacerbation of their symptoms when exposed to heat, so, they should remain indoors as much as possible”, added Dr Kumar.
Calling heatstroke the most serious heat-related illness, Dr Kumar said that the person with a heat stroke has a fever, and looks dehydrated. “The temperature can quickly rise to 106 F. Later on, the person appears confused, disoriented and has slurred speech. If treatment is not started on time, seizures, coma, and even death can occur,” he said.
Following first aid measures (before the patient can be shifted to the hospital) can be lifesaving:
*Move the person to a shaded, cool area and remove outer clothing.
*Cool the person quickly, using the following methods:
*With a cold water or ice bath, if possible
*Wet the skin
*Place cold wet clothes on the skin
*Soak clothing with cool water
*Circulate the air around the person to speed cooling.
*Place cold wet clothes or ice on the head, neck, armpits, and groin; or soak the clothing with cool water.
To minimise the impact during heatwave and to prevent serious ailment or death, here are some dos and don’ts to follow, according to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):
Dos
*Drink sufficient water – even if not thirsty. Persons with epilepsy or heart, kidney or liver disease who are on fluid-restricted diets or have a problem with fluid retention should consult a doctor before increasing liquid intake, said Dr Srivastav.
*Use ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) and homemade drinks to stay adequately hydrated
*Wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose, cotton clothes.
*Use sunglasses to protect your eyes and sunscreen to protect your skin.
*Get trained in first aid.
*Take special care of the elderly, children, sick, or overweight as they are more likely to become victims of excessive heat.
Here’s why drinking water is essential for you (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Employers and workers
*Provide cool drinking water at the workplace.
*Provide resting shade clean water, buttermilk, first-aid kits with ice-packs and ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) for all workers.
*Caution workers to avoid direct sunlight.
*Schedule strenuous jobs to cooler times of the day.
*Increase the frequency and length of rest breaks for outdoor activities.
*Give lighter work and shorter hours to workers new to a high-heat area.
*Pregnant women and workers with a medical condition should be given additional attention.
*Notify workers about heatwave alerts.
Avoid going out in the sun (Source: Pixabay)
Other precautions
*Stay indoors as much as possible.
*Traditional remedies like onion salad and raw mango with salt and cumin can prevent heat stroke.
*Use fans, and damp clothing, and take a bath in cold water frequently.
Don’ts
*Avoid going out in the sun, especially between 12.00 noon and 3.00 p.m.
*Avoid strenuous activities when outside in the afternoon.
*Do not go out barefoot.
*Avoid cooking during peak hours. Open doors and windows to ventilate the cooking area adequately.
*Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee, and carbonated soft drinks, which dehydrate the body.
*Avoid high-protein, salty, spicy, and oily food. Do not eat stale food.
*Do not leave children or pets alone in parked vehicles.
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Follow certain measures to safeguard yourself (Express Photo by Narendra Vaskar) 
Here’s why drinking water is essential for you (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Avoid going out in the sun (Source: Pixabay)
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