Twenty-seven heat-related injuries were reported in Taipei on Sunday, when the temperature hit a record high of 38.2°C in the city, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday.
Sunday’s temperature was the highest on record for the month of May since the Central Weather Bureau’s first weather observation station was established in the city 122 years ago.
The bureau has forecast nationwide highs of above 36°C for the next three days.
There have been 160 reported cases of heat-related injuries — including heat edema, heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion and heatstroke — in the nation so far this month, an increase of 93 percent from a year earlier, ministry data showed.
The Taipei City Government on Sunday initiated heat wave response measures for the first time in May.
The measures include spraying water on roads to reduce road temperatures, inspecting outdoor working conditions, caring for senior residents living alone and enhanced public safety promotions.
Early signs of heat injury are increased body temperature, red and dry skin, excessive thirst and increased heart rate, which progress to headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, muscle cramps and loss of consciousness, the Health Promotion Administration said yesterday.
People with the symptoms should immediately seek shelter from the heat, apply cooling measures, drink plenty of fluids — preferably water with salt, or sports drinks — and seek medical attention, it said.
HPA Director-General Wang Ying-wei (王英偉) advised people to avoid going outdoors for long periods during high temperatures, and to wear loose-fitting and breathable clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, apply sunscreen and bring water when participating in outdoor activities, to prevent heat injuries.
In related news, a 45-year-old man who was touring Taiwan on a motorcycle died on Friday, apparently due to a heat injury, local media reported.
The man was found unconscious at Kenting National Park at about noon, reports said.
Park rangers carried him indoors and the man regained consciousness after a while, drank water and splashed his body with water at a restroom, they said.
However, he fell unconscious again after about 50 minutes and was declared dead upon arrival at a local hospital, reports said.
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