North India Heatwave Intensifies: Doctors Report Surge in Heatstroke, Dehydration Cases

As intense heatwave conditions continued to grip several parts of north India, doctors and weather officials on Wednesday urged people to take precautions against heat-related illnesses, with temperatures soaring above 44 degrees Celsius in Delhi and Rajasthan.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi recorded a temperature of 44.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, while parts of Rajasthan witnessed temperatures crossing 46 degrees Celsius.

Speaking to ANI, Chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr Atul Kakar, said hospitals were witnessing a rise in patients suffering from heat-related conditions.

"The temperature is rising. In Delhi, it is between 45 and 47 degrees, so many patients are coming to us. They present with fever, headache, body aches, tiredness, and lethargy. These are all symptoms of heat exhaustion," Kakar said.

He added that dehydration and heat stroke were also becoming increasingly common during the ongoing heatwave.

"In addition, many patients come with dehydration, and in extreme cases, heat stroke can occur. So these are the three heat-related conditions," he said.

Kakar advised people to avoid stepping out during peak afternoon hours and to remain hydrated.

"To prevent them, at least keep yourself covered, especially if you are going out in the sun between 12 and 3 pm. Keep taking fluids such as ORS, water, lassi, or lemon water with salt," he said.

He further cautioned that children, elderly people, and those suffering from kidney or heart-related ailments were more vulnerable to heat-related complications.

Meanwhile, Jaipur Meteorological Centre Director Radheshyam Sharma said Rajasthan was likely to continue experiencing severe heatwave conditions over the coming days.

"Over the past 2-3 days, there has been a rise in both day and night temperatures. In the last 24 hours, the highest maximum temperature of 46.3°C was recorded in Chittorgarh," Sharma told ANI.

"In some locations, the minimum night temperature has also risen above 30°C. The weather is expected to remain dry across most parts of Rajasthan in the coming days as well," he added.

Sharma further said that although a slight dip in temperature was expected over the next 48 hours, the heatwave spell was likely to persist for the next five to seven days.

(With inputs from ANI)