Two die of heatstroke in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Two persons have succumbed to heatstroke in the state’s Chandrapur and Solapur districts in April, taking the heatwave death toll (since March) to 10. Temperatures have been climbing since March, which the state health department had said would occur only from mid-April. The heatwave has led to the hospitalisation of more than 40 patients, who have complained of high body temperatures, dehydration and dysentery.

The state health department recorded one death each in Jalgaon, Akola, Jalna and Chandrapur in April, while eight others were recorded in March. Vidarbha, Marathwada, middle Maharashtra and some parts of Konkan in particular have seen temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius at times, with Bhira taluka in Raigad recording a scorching 46.5 degrees Celsius last month.

The latest heatwave victim, Harun Mohammed Shaikh (45), a resident of Gondpipri in Chandrapur, was admitted in Chandrapur district government-run hospital last Thursday with severe dehydration and high body temperature. However, he died the same day itself and the autopsy report confirmed he had succumbed to a heatstroke.

State surveillance officer Dr Pradeep Awate told The Asian Age that ten heatstroke deaths had been reported till Tuesday. “The latest death was in Chandrapur, while there was one each in Jalna, Jalgaon and Yavatmal, and two in Aurangabad; while Solapur and Beed have registered one each.”

Out of the 10 casualties, three were senior citizens. The state health department’s data revealed that in the past four years, heatstrokes claimed 33 lives while over 800 people were hospitalised. Last year, heatstrokes claimed the lives of 19 people, while in 2014, 11 deaths were reported.

Asked what measures the state government is taking to tackle the heatwave, joint director of the Directorate of Health Services, Dr Mukund Diggikar, said, “Our team is busy and set to tackle emergencies reported due to heatstrokes. We have installed air coolers in 16 out of 21 district hospitals. We are trying our best to treat patients suffering from such types of disorders.”

In Figures

• The state health department's data revealed that in the past four years, heatstrokes claimed 33 lives while over 800 people were hospitalised.
• Last year, heatstrokes claimed the lives of 19 people, while in 2014, 11 deaths were reported.