United States: The intense heat specialists warn it poses a threat to the inhabitants of the west coast of America is due to hit its climax Saturday, but after that, the health hazards are not likely to disappear.
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A nationwide update forecasted, “Widespread temperature records are expected to be tied or broken. Saturday will likely shape up to be the hottest day in this heatwave when high temperatures into the 110s will be common across California,” as NBC News reported.
Moreover, it added, “The duration of this heat is also concerning as scorching above average temperatures are forecast to linger into next week.”
Rising surrounding temperature
There is an accumulation of Heat over time in a person’s body, and therefore, the probability of having a heart attack, heat stroke, or any other medical condition increases.
Several scholars noted that in the pattern of medical risks, these usually lag behind the increase in temperatures — but rise as the number of risky days accumulates.
Moreover, Dr. Lisa Patel, a clinical associate professor who practices as a pediatrician at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, said, “Usually you see deaths from heatwaves not from the first day, but on the second and third day,” as NBC News reported.
“The cumulative heat is a big risk factor, especially for the elderly and for chronic health conditions,” Patel added.
In this case, the hot weather is expected to continue for a week or more without relief in between, gradually wearing down people. In their forecast on Friday, the National Weather Service said it was going to be extremely hot in California, Oregon, and Washington on Saturday, becoming record highs in those states.
In parts of the Valley, such as Sacramento, where the heatwave is primarily located, the National Weather Service introduced advisories on Tuesday morning at 11:00 a.m., which would last through next Tuesday at the earliest.
As Dakari Anderson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in California’s capital city, said, “Early next week into next week, there are hints of relief,” while adding, “relief will be a relative term,” and additionally, temperatures could stay above 100 degrees in various parts of the region.
Health Effects from Heat
Heat is considered the major weather factor contributing to mortality in the United States. They are sometimes underestimated in statistics as they always aggravate the already existing conditions such as heart conditions, respiratory issues, or kidney issues, as NBC News reported.
Admissions for heat illness in emergency departments have risen daily in the past couple of days, according to CDC data.
Heat-related illness was the leading cause of death on the 4th of July, contributing close to 1 of every 100 cases presented at the emergency department in a region that contains states of California, Arizona, and Nevada.
The number of visits for heat-related illness had risen higher than doubled since July 1, as the statistics revealed.