Older people and people with chronic illnesses should drink plenty of water and avoid very humid environments in summer when temperatures are high, the Chi Mei Medical Center said.
Of the 20 people hospitalized at the center for heat stroke over the past five years, 16 had a chronic illness and 10 were older than 65, it said.
“Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness there is. If you don’t recognize the signs of heat stroke and seek medical assistance early, the mortality rate is as high as 50 percent,” center physician Kuo Wan-yin (郭婉吟) said.
In those who experience heat stroke, the body’s core temperature can exceed 40°C, and the central nervous system begins to fail, she said.
A person might become muddled or lose consciousness altogether, and could exhibit strange behavior or develop a twitch, Kuo said.
In most cases in which central nervous system abnormalities do not occur, the person’s condition would not be described by a doctor as heat stroke, but instead as a common heat-related illness, she said.
The average age of those hospitalized at the center for heat stroke between January 2016 and May was 65, and 60 percent of those patients were men, Kuo said, adding that 80 percent of all the patients had pre-existing chronic conditions.
Most heat stroke cases are reported between June and August, and most occur outdoors, while 40 percent of all cases occur at a person’s place of work, she said.
“In about 70 percent of the serious cases that require hospitalization, the person is sent to the intensive care unit. Most recover after 11 days of hospitalization,” Kuo said.
People who suspect someone has heat stroke should call an ambulance and if possible move the person to a cooler location, she said, adding that cloths soaked in cold water can be applied to the person’s neck, armpits and groin to help reduce their temperature.
“Heat stroke is preventable. You have to be on alert during the hotter months. If you have elderly people at home during the [COVID-19] pandemic, make sure you have good airflow in your home,” Kuo said.
In related news, the Central Weather Bureau yesterday said that hot weather is expected around Taiwan due to the continuing effects of a Pacific high-pressure system, with heat alerts raised for the northern and eastern parts of the country.
The bureau issued a “yellow” heat alert for Taipei and New Taipei City, and Taitung County, as well as an “orange” heat advisory for Yilan and Hualien counties.
A yellow alert refers to a maximum temperature of 36°C for one day, while an orange alert signals a maximum temperature of 36°C for three days in a row.
Daniel Wu (吳德榮), an adjunct associate professor of atmospheric sciences at National Central University and former bureau Weather Forecast Center director, said that the Pacific high-pressure system is expected to weaken from Wednesday next week, resulting in slightly lower daytime temperatures.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS