The weather department Indian Meteorological Department has issued heatwave alert across 10 states in India – Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra’s Vidarbha, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and UP for the next 5 days.
In Delhi, the heatwave conditions are likely to prevail for the next 4-5 days. The Met office has predicted that temperature will stay above 45-degree Celsius, that was 5 degrees above normal.
Tips for preventing heat disorders in summer:
- Avoid prolonged exposure to sun when the temperature is high. Use an umbrella if you need to go out.
- Wear light cotton clothes to avoid heat absorption.
- Make sure that you are properly hydrated before you step out in the heat. The requirement of water in summer is 500 ml more than that in winter.
- Summer drinks should be refreshing and cool such as panna, khas khas, rose petal water, lemon water, bel sharbat and sattu sharbat.
- Any drink with more than 10% sugar becomes a soft drink and so should be avoided. Ideally, the percentage of sugar, jaggery or khand should be 3%, which is the percentage present in oral rehydration drink.
- You should pass urine at least once in 3 hours. This is a sign of adequate hydration.
- If you develop heat cramps, drink plenty of lemon water with sugar and salt.
- Heat exertion presents with fever and sweating. If you develop heat exertion, drink plenty of oral fluids, mixed with water, lemon and sugar. Presence of sweating is good sign.
- If a person develops high grade fever, i.e. more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit with dry armpits, this is a sign of impending heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. The temperature here may be more than 106 degree Fahrenheit. Fever should be brought down rapidly within minutes to save the life.
- People, who have been advised to restrict their fluid intake on medical grounds, should discuss their fluid requirement in summer with their doctor.