Heat stroke kills nine in the North West, SA

Nine people have died of heatstroke in North West, the provincial health department said on Friday.
“The North West MEC for health Dr Magome Masike is disturbed by the unfortunate passing of nine people who died due to heatstroke in the province. The nine died at Mahikeng Provincial Hospital,” said spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane.
According to the hospital report, five people were certified dead on arrival, three died in casualty on Thursday, and one died on Friday. Masike urged communities and individuals to take preventative measures.
“Our health promoters are on the ground spreading preventative and awareness messages. Heatstroke is the most serious heat-related disorder. It occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature – the body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. When heatstroke occurs, the body temperature can rise to 106 degrees (fahrenheit, 41.1 degrees celsius) or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heatstroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not given,” said Masike.
Symptoms of heatstroke include hot, dry skin or profuse sweating, hallucinations, chills, throbbing headache, high body temperature, confusion/dizziness, and slurred speech. People were urged to ensure that they stayed in cool, shaded areas and take in more liquids, especially water, to prevent dehydration.