Seven people died from heatstroke and five others were hospitalised across the country between 22 April and 28 April, according to the Health Emergency Operation Centre and Control Room of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The control room started collecting data on heatstroke patients last week.
According to the DGHS, a person suffering from heatstroke has a body temperature over 40 degrees Celsius or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, shows symptoms of vomiting, breathes heavily, and may or may not sweat.
The skin may turn hot and dry or show dampness. The patient’s behaviour may show inconsistency, he/she mumbles and even becomes senseless.
Data from the control room shows one each died from heatstroke in Chuadanga, Khulna, Habiganj, Rajbari, Jhenaidah, Lalmonirhat and Bandarban. All of the deceased are male and aged between 32 and 79 and they are from rural areas.
Two of five people being hospitalised for heatstroke are female and aged over 45 while one of the remaining three males is 12.
Public health experts observed the actual number of heatstroke patients is likely to be higher than the government’s number.
Currently, DGHS counts patients in public hospitals only, and no data is available on whether private hospitals and clinics across the country receive any heatstroke patients.
Until recently, physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers had no clear idea of the specific symptoms of heatstroke.
The DGHS issued a guideline several days ago and began training the government physicians accordingly. And, the Health Emergency Operation Centre and Control Room maintains the tally of patients who have been treated as heatstroke patients by those trained physicians.
As the temperature gets hotter, diseases related to heat increase. A study found the number of deaths rose by 22 per cent in the countries experiencing heat waves between 2003 and 2007.
The DGHS said heat also caused various complications including fatigue, loss of consciousness, muscle contraction, rash and dehydration in addition to heatstroke.
Severe heat also affects pregnant women, children and elderly people severely, and increases the risk to persons suffering from chronic diseases.
Public health expert professor Be-Nazir Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “It is evident that heat wave increases death and disease and it is also true that we will experience hot weather in the next couple of years like this year, and for that, the health ministry must have a thorough preparation.
Healthcare workers must be trained, as well as an uninterrupted supply of medicines and medical equipment must be ensured. Besides, publicity and campaigns will have to be launched to increase public awareness. Our goal must be that no one dies from heat wave or heatstroke in the next year.”