11 more die due to Egypt’s heatwave, bringing overall death toll to 87

Eleven people died in Egyptian hospitals on Thursday due to hot weather, raising the total death toll this week due to the current heatwave to 87, according to the health ministry.

On Thursday, 302 people were admitted to hospitals in the governorates of Cairo, Qena, Sohag, Giza, Qalioubiya and Assuit due to heat stroke and heat exhaustion, Hossam Abdel-Ghafer, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health told Ahram Online on Friday.

One hundred and forty-two people were treated and left hospital on the same day, while 149 are still under observation.

The eleven patients who died were mostly elderly, Abdel-Ghafer said.

August is normally a hot month in Egypt, but temperatures have been higher than average over the past few days, soaring to 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) in Upper Egypt governorates and 40 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit) in Cairo.

According to Egypt’s Meteorological Authority, the current heat wave will end by 20 August.

The Ministry of Health advises the elderly, the sick, and children to avoid direct exposure to the sun, as they are the most vulnerable to sunstroke.

Source : Ahram online