Guanajuato has 1st heat stroke death in 20 years

The victim was a mentally ill man who fainted and stayed under the sun for more than 40 minutes

Más Gto/Guanajuato

Epidemiological surveillance in Guanajuato was strengthened due to the high temperatures that have been recorded in the 46 municipalities.

After 20 years of no deaths due to heat stroke in Guanajuato and on May 17, the first of them occurred, reported Pablo Sanchez Gastelum, General Director of Prevention and Health Promotion of the Gto Health System.

Sanchez said that this is a 37-year-old man from Leon, who was treated with tachycardia and a temperature of 43.3 degrees.

“He was a person with mental health problems who wandered on the street, fainted and was exposed to the sun for more than 40 minutes”, said Sanchez.

Pablo Sanchez urgently calls on citizens to take extreme preventive measures and more than anything take care of the most vulnerable people such as older adults and minors and try to keep them well hydrated.

Heat-related illnesses include:

• Heat stroke: A life-threatening illness in which the body temperature can rise above 41 degrees Celsius
  Symptoms include dry skin, rapid and strong pulse, dizziness, nausea and confusion. If any of these signs occur, it is important to go to the nearest health center
• Heat exhaustion: An illness that can occur after several days exposed to high temperatures and without enough fluids
  In addition to profuse sweating, rapid breathing and rapid, weak pulse. If left untreated, it can precede heat stroke
• Heat Cramps: Muscle pain or spasms that occur during intense exercise
  In general, it can be suffered in the abdomen, arms or legs
• Heat rashes: Skin irritation due to excessive sweating. It is more common in young children
• To reduce the risk of heat illness, it is important to drink fluids to prevent dehydration, replace lost salt and minerals, and limit time exposed to heat.

Also, Sanchez called on people who work outside to constantly take breaks of at least 15 minutes in the shade to rehydrate.

Population at higher risk:

• Older adults, young children, and people who are sick or overweight