Jamshedpur suffered the hottest day of the season with the thermometer touching 45.2 degree on Tuesday, seven degree above normal. The soaring mercury has prompted East Singhbhum district health department to issue a general health alert.
As part of the alert, the East Singhbhum civil surgeon Dr SK Jha issued letters to all the private and Government hospitals and nursing homes in the district to immediately start ORS counters and stock medicines and make necessary arrangement to treat cases of heat stroke.
“We are concerned over prevailing situation. The directive has been issued today to both private and state-owned health centers. We will be conducting surprise inspections at the community health centers and primary health centers at different blocks,” said Dr SK Jha.
The hot and scorching summer in the city has not only made life difficult but has also increased the woes of the people. Several cases of serious diseases, such as dehydration, gastroenteritis, jaundice and viral fever are being reported in the city with nursing homes and hospitals witnessing spurt in admissions. Sources at nursing homes like Steel City Nursing Home, Rajasthan Seva Sadan and life line Nursing Home informed that they were treating at least six cases of flue and dehydration on daily basis.
“We are witnessing more than 6-7 patients showing symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke like severe headache, muscle cramp, dehydration and diarrhea are reporting at the MGM Medical College and Hospital for the last few days. We are all set up for treating of such cases and there has been no casualty so far,” said an official of the state-owned MGM Medical College and Hospital. He advised that people should refrain from direct rays of sun and take lots of liquids along with healthy meal.
Similarly, another state-owned Sadar Hospital at Khasmahal has also witnessed rise in number of patients with heat-stroke symptoms.
“We are keeping a vigil on the prevailing conditions. The maximum temperature will continue to rise due to the westerly winds dominating the State. The westerly winds are expected to blow till around first week of May,” noted a weather analyst of local meteorological department.
Notably, Jamshedpur has a record of maximum temperature in June 1942. Data revealed that on June 11, 1942, the steel city recorded the ever highest maximum reading of 47.2 degree Celsius.