Temperatures are increasing in various parts of Karnataka, the health department reported over 521 heatstroke cases and two related deaths since March 1 to April 3, 2024.
According to a report, between March 1 and April 3, Bagalkot and Kalaburagi districts reported one heatstroke death and Chikkaballpura, Bagalkot, Chitradurga and Mandya districts are also impacted by heatwave condition and they reported 102, 69, 56, and 54 suspected heatstroke cases.
Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department T K Anil Kumar held a meeting with hospital administrators and district officials on Wednesday, exhorting them to report heatstroke cases on time and provide essential medical care. To address the situation heatstroke management rooms have been established in district and taluk hospitals and in PHCs to even treat patients with primary complaints like cramps and exhaustion that caused by sunstroke.
Heatstroke management rooms have been set up at KC General Hospital, Sir C V Raman General Hospital, Malleswaram, Indiranagar and Jayanagar General Hospital in Karnataka. The heatstroke management rooms are furnished with essential equipments like ECG and thermometer.
Dr. Mahammad Shariff, Deputy Director of Vector Borne Disease Control Programme said that the treatment plans follow guidelines of GOI (Government of India), this includes providing ORS and IV fluids and some patients may require ice packs and other interventions to cool their body.
Considering the situation, the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) issued a fresh heatwave advisory, which says that people should remain indoors particularly between noon and 3 pm. The advisory also instructed people to stay hydrated and wear light-coloured cotton clothes and it also suggested that to use umbrellas, hats and sunglasses to protect oneself from heat and to prevent dehydration it suggested to avoid caffeinated, carbonated and alcoholic drinks.
The advisory also suggested instructions to pets, placing them in shade and providing sufficient amounts of water and also recommended that if anyone feels dizzy or sick due to increasing temperature they should immediately seek medical care.
According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Center, Kalaburagi district recorded an average maximum temperature of 42.7 degree Celsius and 75 percent of geophysical area in Karnataka state recorded temperature in the range of 36-42 degree Celsius. In some parts of Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur districts reported maximum temperature in the range of 43-45 degree Celsius.
The weather agencies in Karnataka also predicted light rain over Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara, and Kodagu districts and issued yellow alerts over Ballari, Bagalkot, Gadag, Koppala, and Kalaburagi.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Lavanya Beeraboina/MSM)