KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry has recorded 13 heatwave-related cases in the country just this year, amid the recent scorching temperatures.
Based on observations on the first to ninth epidemiological weeks this year, Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said the most cases were recorded in Perak, with seven, followed by five in Kedah and one in Sabah.
Of that, four cases were due to heat stroke, while the remaining nine were diagnosed with heat exhaustion. All cases were caused by outdoor physical activities during hot weather, he added in a statement today.
One heat stroke patient is currently under treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Sultanah Maliha Hospital in Langkawi, while another suffering from heat exhaustion is being treated at the hospital’s regular ward.
In response, the ministry issued guidelines for members of the public to protect themselves against the hot weather.
According to the Meteorological Department, Pokok Sena in Kedah is at Level 2, where heat waves reached maximum daily temperatures of over 37°C for at least three consecutive days.
Meanwhile, several areas Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Sarawak, Sabah, and Kuala Lumpur are at Level 1, with temperatures reaching 35°C to 37°C for three consecutive days. – March 1, 2024