Kottayam: Two incidents of sunstroke have been repotted from Kottayam district in the last couple of days as several parts of Kerala are experiencing a heatwave. 

A native of Karukachal, who suffered sunstroke, was admitted to hospital after mild bruises with red patches were found on the back of his neck on Tuesday. 

Kottayam District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr N Priya has said that there is nothing to worry as he has no health issues right now. He reportedly suffered sunstroke two or three days ago. It might have been caused either due to bike travel or sitting in a parked car for a long time during day time. 

A fish vendor, Jiji Joseph,  who was travelling back home on a bike after sales, suffered sunstroke at Mattakara the other day. He suffered mild burns on his body.  

Compared to Monday, the temperature has come down in the district. On Monday, the temperature was 37.5 degrees Celsius, while on Tuesday it was 35.8 degrees Celsius. Experts say hot dry wind blowing in from Tamil Nadu as well as an increase in ground-level ultraviolet (UV) radiation are sending the temperature soaring in Kerala.

The Met Department had earlier predicted several Kerala districts are expected to come under the spell of a heatwave in the coming days. 

Several other Indian states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan and Odisha are also experiencing severe heatwave conditions. 

What is sunstroke?

Sunstroke, also known as heatstroke, is a serious condition and must be considered an emergency. It is caused by prolonged exposure to hot environment and may pose damage to internal organs if left untreated. In some cases, heatstroke can be fatal. 

Heatwave is a period when the weather is much hotter than usual. It is often accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries.

Precautions to take

With the mercury all set to rise, it would be better to take some precautions to keep one’s life and property safe. Here are some suggestions:

People working in open places during the daytime, construction workers and bike riders have the highest health risk under heatwave conditions.

Dr B Padmakumar, Professor of Medicine, Govt. TD Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha has advised these people to avoid direct sunlight when the temperature reaches the maximum.

“Otherwise, they could suffer sunstroke,” he said.

According to Padmakumar, the working hours of these people should be from 8-11 am and 3-6 pm when severe heat persists.

“They should take good rest during the remaining hours,” he said.

“Other people, while outdoors during daytime, should use an umbrella,” added the doctor.

He also said that everyone has to drink plenty of water.

“Salted rice gruel, lemon juice and tender coconut juice are ideal,” he said.

Another tip from him is to wear cotton clothes and prefer vegetarian food, especially leafy dishes, during these scorching days.

“In case sunstroke occurs, the victim should be immediately shifted to a shade and rushed to hospital.

People suffering from skin ailments and contagious diseases have to avoid direct sunlight at any cost,” the doctor said.