Hospitals in Delhi-NCR are seeing an influx of patients with complaints of heat stroke and heat exhaustion as the mercury continues to soar in the national capital. The Centre has asked hospitals in the city to admit patients with heat stroke on priority.
On Wednesday, the government-run LNJP Hospital reported two deaths due to heat stroke in the last one week.
"Currently, nine patients are admitted to LNJP Hospital. Out of the nine patients, four patients are on ventilator support due to their critical condition and multi-organ failure due to heatstroke. On June 16, a patient died due to heatstroke. Timely treatment of heatstroke patients is very important else it can also lead to multi-organ failure," said Suresh Kumar, Medical Director of LNJP Hospital.
While the entire North and Northwest India is in the grip of heatwave, Delhi faces a double whammy as the city grapples with a worsening water shortage. Delhi Water Minister Atishi has threatened to go on an indefinite strike from June 21 if the water crisis is not resolved within a couple of days.
In Delhi, at least four deaths have been reported so far due to heat stroke. While LNJP Hospital reported two deaths in the last week, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital have reported one death each.
According to LNJP Hospital Managing Director Dr Suresh Kumar, most of the people affected by the heatwave were labourers or rickshaw pullers and most of them were above 60 years of age.
In adjacent Noida, more than 14 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours due to suspected heat stroke, the health department said. However, the exact cause of death will only be known after post-mortem reports, said Renu Agarwal of Noida's district hospital.
On Wednesday, Union Health Minister JP Nadda ordered all central government hospitals and medical institutes to prioritise the admission and treatment of heat stroke patients.
The operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport were also affected due to heatwave, according to a PTI report.
A senior official in the Ministry of Civil Aviation told PTI that aircraft require lift to take off and lift is affected by the density of the surrounding air. Flights are getting delayed sometimes or wait for the wind speed to settle down, the official said.
