Weather Update: Heat wave claims 35 lives in Uttar Pradesh, 21 deaths reported in Delhi | Know more
PTC News Desk: Based on data produced by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), as many as 143 individuals have died as a result of the extended heat wave that is affecting a wide portion of the country between March 1 and June 20. During this same period, 41,789 people have been suspected of having heatstroke.
The true toll, however, is probably much higher because state submissions for the data, which was collated by the NCDC as part of the National Heat-Related Illness and Death Surveillance, are not current.
Furthermore, a number of medical facilities have not yet uploaded data regarding the number of heat-related deaths.
Here are the latest updates on deaths due to the heat wave:
1. Official data shows that on June 20 alone, there were 14 confirmed deaths due to heatstroke and nine suspected cases, raising the toll for the March-June period from 114 to 143.
2. Uttar Pradesh is the worst-affected state with 35 casualties, followed by Delhi with 21, and Bihar and Rajasthan with 17 each, according to the data.
3. It is estimated that temperatures in the national capital may have caused at least 100 additional fatalities, including 40 cases recorded at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, pending autopsy confirmation.
4. Officials in Gautam Buddh Nagar’s health department reported receiving at least 75 bodies for post-mortem from June 18 to 20, compared to the usual daily average of seven or eight.
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5. “There has been an unexpected increase in post-mortem cases. On June 18, we received 28 bodies, 25 on June 19, and 22 by the evening of June 20,” said Gautam Buddh Nagar’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Suneel Kumar Sharma.
6. Of these bodies, 20 were received as ‘brought dead,’ with 10 remaining unidentified.
7. On Thursday, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda directed officials to visit Central government-run health facilities to assess the number of deaths due to heatstroke over the past few days.
8. Nadda also instructed officials to ensure hospitals are prepared to provide the best treatment to those affected, as he reviewed the national situation and hospital preparedness.
9. The Health Ministry has released an advisory for state health departments under the direction of the Union Health Minister.
10. According to the advisory, ‘the country may observe above-normal seasonal maximum temperatures in line with the observed trend of summertime temperatures. To reduce health impacts of extreme heat, health departments must ensure preparedness and timely response.’