Sorry if you think this thread is unnecessary, in view of the publicity and warnings given about the heat wave currently affecting most of the UK.


Of course some parts of this country have experienced temperatures approaching or exceeding 30C ( 86F ) which are an everyday occurrence in the Philippines, elsewhere in the tropics, and consistently in the summer in countries like Spain and Italy. The sort of weather we’re experiencing is what many go on holiday to guarantee !


Whenever temperatures are unusually high ( or low ) for a given region, problems arise. These include excess numbers of deaths. A heatwave 10 years ago claimed 15,000 excess deaths in France, and 2,000 in the UK. The statistics are not precise – for example, many of these deaths would probably have occurred within weeks in people who were already sick. Heatstroke ( or hypothermia in the winter ) might not be included when the underlying cause was ( say ) heart disease.
Young children, elderly, and people already in poor health are most at risk.


Sensible advice is provided daily by the media while this heatwave lasts. There are three basic complications :-
• Sunburn – seek shade, protect skin with suitable clothes, sunhat, sunglasses, and lotion with Sun Protection Factor ( including insect repellent ).


• Heat exhaustion – the person feels sick, faint, and sweats heavily – improving with rehydration ( not alcohol ) in a cooler place.



• Heatstroke – the body can’t cool itself, there is confusion, rapid breathing, then loss of consciousness – obviously this is an emergency !


http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Heat-ex.../Symptoms.aspx