Refrain from outdoor activities, says Subra

PUTRAJAYA: As Malaysia recorded the first death caused by the current heatwave, the Health Ministry has urged the public to refrain from outdoor activities.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam (pic) said there were 14 cases of heat-related illnesses reported nationwide since March 1, including the one in Segamat where a 23-year-old police cadet died of heatstroke during a training exercise.

“Agencies such as the police and the army are advised to reduce outdoor training sessions that expose their trainees to the heat.

“The Youth and Sports Ministry should also take the heatwave into consideration and issue directives to reduce or postpone outdoor physical activities for this period.

“This includes marathon races, where participants face risks of being exposed to the heat and being dehydrated,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.

Dr Subramaniam said that of the 14 cases, 11 were for heat exhaustion and the rest heatstroke, including the Segamat case.

“Heat exhaustion is an early stage of heat-related injury while heatstroke is the more serious stage.

“It is caused by exposure to high temperatures, combined with dehydration, which causes failure of organs, as in the case of the police cadet,” he said.

Police trainee Azizan Ayob died of heatstroke on Wednesday during orientation at the Segamat Police Training Centre.

He was one of 467 trainees who reported at the centre on March 13.