Two elderly people have died from heatstroke in Cyprus as temperatures soar to dangerously high levels in the region.
A Cyprus health official confirmed that a second person died from heatstroke following a weeklong heatwave that baked at 40C in the east Mediterranean island nation, with reportedly record temperatures for the month of June.
An 84-year-old woman died a day after she was admitted to hospital on Friday, said State Health Services Organisation spokesman Charalambos Charilaou. He added that another three elderly patients remain in a serious condition. It comes as wildfires continue to rage through parts of the island, with strong winds also hampering firefighters' efforts to tackle the blazes.
The news follows reports that a 91-year-old woman also died in Cyprus on Friday as temperatures reached highs of 45C. The forecast prompted the island to issue its first red alert for extreme heat this summer, with the record temperature being 10 degrees above the Cyprus' seasonal average.
Cyprus has been subject to wildfires as a result of extreme heat (AFP via Getty Images)According to health officials, a woman died at Nicosia General Hospital from heatstroke, while five more elderly patients were battling severe heatstroke in hospitals across the region.
Europe swelters in 'staggering' heatwave as 8 countries see hottest January ever
Charilaou told reporters that hospitals in the area have been tackling cases of heat exhaustion for several days. He added that a woman had suffered a cardiac arrest twice while being transported to Nicosia's accident and emergency department. He explained: "After investigating the incident, A&E doctors determined that the cardiac arrest was a result of heatstroke."
Cyprus has recorded dangerously high temperatures on the island exceeding 40C (104F) this month. The extreme heat, along with strong winds have made it increasingly difficult for fire services to control the wildfires. Areas hit include more than 1.2 square miles (3.2 sq km) of forest in Nicosia, which were scorched in a mountainous area south-west of the capital, threatening an entire village.
Temperatures reached highs of 45C in Cyrpus on Friday (Danil Shamkin/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)Last week, aircraft from Greece and Jordan joined in on firefighting efforts as 49 people in two separate communities in Cyrprus' Paphos district were evacuated to hotels as a wildfire threatened their homes. Other countries across Europe, including Greece and Turkey, are also baking in record temperatures, sparking fears of more wildfires and an increased risk of heat-related illness and death.
Heatstroke is considered a medical emergency and can be life-threatening, with high temperatures killing around 2,000 people each year in England alone. The condition occurs when your body fights to maintain its core temperature of 37.5C.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
