RISE IN ILLNESSES CAUSED BY HEAT

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH officials have seen an increase in heatrelated illnesses in recent weeks, with more younger people affected.

Dr Darbrielle HuntBurrows, chief of internal medicine at the Princess Margaret Hospital, called the increase concerning, saying officials are keeping a close eye on the matter.

Local meteorologists have issued heat advisories urging residents to stay hydrated and limit outdoor activities during peak afternoon hours because of the high temperatures.

Yesterday, Dr Burrows said doctors had encountered several patients suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Though none required hospitalisation, she said, some needed to be resuscitated.

“We’ve seen more younger persons who have presented and they are presented with minor complaints,” she told The Tribune yesterday. “So these cases we saw within the last two to three weeks and if there were about 30 persons who presented, at least about 10 of those persons were persons presenting with heat-related complaints.”