Between March 1 and June 20, the prolonged heatwave sweeping across much of the country has resulted in 143 deaths, with 41,789 people suffering from suspected heatstroke during this period, according to data compiled by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
However, the actual toll is likely higher since the data, compiled under the National Heat-Related Illness and Death Surveillance, lacks updated submissions from states. Furthermore, several health facilities have not yet reported the number of casualties due to the heatwave.
Here are the latest updates on heatwave-related deaths:
1. Official data reveals that on June 20 alone, there were 14 confirmed deaths due to heatstroke and nine suspected heatstroke deaths, increasing the toll for the March-June period from 114 to 143.
2. Uttar Pradesh is the hardest-hit state with 35 deaths, followed by Delhi with 21, and Bihar and Rajasthan each reporting 17 fatalities, according to the data.
3. It is estimated that temperatures in the national capital may have caused at least 100 more deaths, including the 40 cases recorded at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital (DDU), pending confirmation through autopsies.
4. Officials in Gautam Buddh Nagar’s health department reported receiving at least 75 bodies for post-mortem between June 18 and 20, compared to the usual daily average of around seven or eight bodies.
5. Gautam Buddh Nagar’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Suneel Kumar Sharma stated, “There has been an increase in the number of post-mortem cases and this increase is quite unexpected. On June 18, we received 28 bodies, 25 on June 19, and 22 by the evening of June 20.”
6. Of these bodies, 20 were ‘brought dead,’ with 10 of them being ‘unidentified.’
7. On Thursday, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda directed officials to visit Central government-run health facilities to assess the number of heatstroke-related deaths in recent days.
8. Nadda also instructed officials to ensure hospitals are prepared to provide the best treatment to those affected, as he reviewed the national situation and hospitals’ readiness to handle the crisis.
9. The health ministry has issued an advisory for state health departments under the Union health minister’s direction.
10. According to the advisory, “the country may observe above normal seasonal maximum temperatures in-line with the observed trend of summertime temperatures. To reduce health impacts of extreme heat, health departments must ensure preparedness and timely response.”