“The situation in hospitals is reminiscent of the coronavirus pandemic – the wards are overcrowded, doctors are completely overwhelmed with work,” – this is how the situation in Indian hospitals is described in the Medicalxpress publication. But the problems are not related to a new epidemic: in a country popular with tourists, a mass plague of people has begun from the heat, and not only hospitals are in chaos, but morgues are also full. However, the situation has not yet touched the popular state of Goa – of course, it is also hot there, but it is far from extreme – mainly the heat kills people in the densely populated states of India – Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where tourists go on excursions.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the temperature was consistently above normal, reaching 43.5 degrees Celsius. “We have been issuing severe heat wave warnings for the last few days,” said Atul Kumar Singh, a scientist at the IMD.
According to local news reports and health officials, 119 people have died of heat-related illnesses in Uttar Pradesh in the past few days, while 47 deaths have been reported in the neighboring state of Bihar. Elderly people with pre-existing health problems are mainly affected. As a result, hospital morgues are overflowing, and hospitals themselves are in chaos.
It is also exacerbated by the fact that due to the heat, there are constant power outages throughout the region, leaving people without running water, fans, and air conditioners. Including in hospitals, patients have to be cooled with fans made of improvised materials.
However, climate experts say heat waves will continue and India needs to better prepare for their effects. Among them, it is necessary to create “cooling centers” and help in the field of health care.
As for the resort of Goa, where our tourists mainly go, extreme temperature values have not yet been observed there. Although it is quite hot – +34. At the same time, the weather is cloudy, and rains and a slight drop in temperature to +29-30 are promised for the weekend.