Stay safe by staying cool

PETALING JAYA: The heat is on and people should curb their outdoor activities so that they are not exposed to the blazing sun, health experts have advised.

“This is applicable to all ages, especially children, the elderly and people with chronic diseases,” said public health medicine specialist and NCD (non-communicable disease) epidemiologist Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar.

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He said even if it were to rain every day, the humidity would contribute to the heat.

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“Humidity is how much water vapour is in the air. When we perspire, our bodies normally rely on air to get rid of the sweat that accumulates on the skin. This allows the body to cool down.“When the humidity is high, the warm moisture stays on our skin longer, making us feel even hotter. Meteorologists call this the ‘heat index’.

“So, know the symptoms and signs of early heat stroke and seek treatment immediately if there are symptoms. There are treatable conditions, but it can be serious if not treated early enough,” he added.

Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations Malaysia secretary Dr Shanmuganathan Ganeson said there had been a significant increase of patients seeking treatment at private clinics.

This was due to heat-related and other illnesses triggered by the extreme weather, where it was hot in the mornings and followed by heavy rain in the afternoons or evenings.

“In hot and then rainy weather, there may be more coughs and colds as well as acute diarrhoea when people consume roadside drinks due to thirst.

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“Other heat-related illnesses include heat rash (pimple like blisters on exposed areas), sunburn (painful red areas of the skin, sometimes blisters), heat cramps (muscle pain and spasms after intense exercise), and heat stroke (high temperature, hot skin, dizziness, headache, passing out, confusion),” Dr Shanmuganathan said.

Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai said it was important to act swiftly if there were symptoms of heat stroke to enable timely medical intervention.

“We would like to advise the public to be alert for any symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

“If a person has a very high temperature, headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, muscle pain or cramps, it could be signs of heat exhaustion and will need cooling down.

“The heatwave should not be taken lightly. Older people, infants and young children up to four years old are at high risk. Very high body temperatures can damage the brain or other vital organs,” he said.

Dr Muruga added that if symptoms persisted after 30 minutes or worsened with more severe symptoms such as hot skin with no sweat, confusion, lack of coordination, seizures or fits and loss of consciousness, it could be a heat stroke, thus the victim would need to be rushed to the emergency department.

Universiti Malaya professor of epidemiology and public health Prof Dr Sanjay Rampal said with the weather likely to continue to be hot with heatwave episodes, it was important to maintain good hydration and good ventilation.“We sweat more when the weather is hotter and thus need to consume more fluids than normal.

“If we are outside and suddenly feel very dry and hot, we should get indoors and cool down. Preferably do our outdoor chores during the morning or evening.

“The ventilation of our home and work area is also very important. We should practise good ventilation habits,” he added.

On Wednesday, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said her ministry was collaborating with other government agencies to track the conditions that could lead to heat stroke and urged the public to seek medical assistance if they experience any symptoms.