NEW DELHI: Extreme heat has claimed at least 32 more lives in the city in the past 36 hours. While 20 deaths were reported from central govt hospitals, 12 were recorded in Delhi govt facilities. This takes the heat toll in Delhi to at least 70, most occurring in the last two weeks. The number is likely to be higher as data from several hospitals isn’t readily available.
Safdarjung hospital
has witnessed a surge in
heat-related deaths
, with 13 fatalities reported since Wednesday. This brings the total count in the hospital to 24, including two cases reported by TOI on Wednesday and five earlier casualties which have now been confirmed as heatstroke deaths after postmortem.
Safdarjung authorities said 47
patients
were currently admitted and of these 29 were critical with ailments related to heat. The influx of patients continues, hospital sources said, underlining the risk to public health from the unrelenting spell of heat.
To cope with the growing crisis, the hospital has raised the number of beds for such patients from 13 to 23.
Dr Ajay Chauhan from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital said that RML admitted 73 heatstroke patients since May 27, with 26 of them in the past 24 hours. “Till date, 18 people have died due to heatstroke, seven in the last 24 hours.” The hospital currently has 32 such patients, 26 of whom are on
ventilator support
. The high number of patients on ventilators highlights the severity of the heatstroke cases, the doctor said.
Out of 25 patients suffering from heat-related ailments at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, eight have died.
Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director of Lok Nayak Hospital, told TOI that four people had died of heat-related ailments in the past 24 hour
