Filenews 17 July 2023
Three people are hospitalized with heat stroke, with the State Health Services Organization (SHSO) declaring full readiness to deal with heatwave incidents, giving advice to the public, especially vulnerable groups.
SHSO spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said that two people aged 77 and 78 are being treated at Nicosia General Hospital, while another 80-year-old person is being intubated at Limassol General Hospital.
The public, he said, especially vulnerable groups, should be very careful, and those who show symptoms of heat stroke should contact their personal doctor.
Our hospitals are ready to accept any cases, he said, noting that this is a phenomenon we encounter every year.
Three people in hospitals with heat stroke
Pointing out that we are going through a heat wave with very high temperatures, Mr. Charilaou said that we had the first death from heat stroke of a 90-year-old person at Nicosia General Hospital.
Currently, he added, three more people are being treated, two at Nicosia General Hospital 78 and 77 years old whose condition is serious and another 80-year-old person intubated in the Intensive Care Unit at Limassol General Hospital.
Vulnerable groups
People belonging to vulnerable groups, he said, should be very careful these days.
Vulnerable groups are people over the age of 65, people with heart failure, people with chronic kidney or liver disease, people with a history of past heat stroke, overweight people, people who work under high ambient temperature.
Symptoms of heat stroke and recommendations
The main symptoms of heat stroke, he said, are a strong headache, feeling overwhelmed, weakness, fainting and difficulty breathing. Many times nausea, vomiting, or very high fever and diarrhea may occur, as well as confusion or loss of orientation.
The Organization's recommendation to the public, especially these days when there are high temperatures, is to be particularly careful, to be in a shady place, preferably in an air-conditioned area, not to be in the sun for many hours, to hydrate, to be lightly dressed and if you experience any symptoms to contact our personal doctor immediately.
Hospital preparedness
Mr. Charilaou said that our hospitals are ready to accept any incidents, noting that this is a phenomenon that we encounter every year and it is not the only year that we have cases of heat stroke.
"There is full readiness and we can respond adequately," Charilaou concluded.
CNA
