At least 98 people have perished in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh over the past three days as north India continues to struggle with an extraordinary heatwave. In Bihar, the unusually hot weather has claimed the lives of 44 individuals, compared to 54 deaths in Uttar Pradesh.
Between June 15, 16, and 17, at least 54 patients who had been admitted to a district hospital in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, passed away as a result of the extreme heat. An official reported that during the course of the last three days, at least 400 patients with complaints of fever, shortness of breath, and other health issues were admitted to a district hospital in Ballia.
According to an official, the majority of the patients were older than 60. According to the district's chief medical officer (CMO), Dr. Jayant Kumar, patients are being admitted to the hospital for treatment as a result of the extreme heat.
Ballia's Chief Medical Officer Jayant Kumar told The Associated Press on Saturday that "all the people had some ailments and their conditions worsened due to the extreme heat." He said that heart attacks, brain strokes, and diarrhoea were the main causes of death.
23 deaths were reported on June 15, 20 on June 16, and 11 on June 17 until 4 p.m., according to the official, prompting the government to request a team of doctors from the capital, Lucknow, to look into the causes of the deaths.
Diwakar Singh, the District Hospital's Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS), told reporters that fans, coolers, and air conditioners had been installed at the facility to reduce the danger of heat stroke for both patients and employees. The increase in patients has also led to an increase in the number of physicians and other medical personnel, he added.
We are currently experiencing a stretcher shortage due to the enormous number of patients swarming the hospital, a representative told India Today.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Ballia was 42.2 degrees Celsius on Friday, which is 4.7 degrees above average, according to India Meteorological Data (IMD).
The scenario is identical in Bihar, where 44 people perished in a 24-hour period as a result of intense heat waves. A severe heatwave affected at least 18 locations, with four others in the state.
35 deaths out of 44 deaths occurred in Patna alone, with 19 of those deaths occurring at the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) and 16 at the PMCH. In other state districts, nine persons have perished.
With a severe heatwave on Saturday, the temperature soared beyond 44 degrees C in at least 11 regions. The highest temperature ever recorded in Patna, the capital of Bihar, was 44.7 degrees Celsius. Sheikhpura, with a temperature of 45.1, continued to be the hottest location.
Patna has ordered the closure of all schools until June 24, and other districts in the state have followed suit.
The state will see an "extreme heatwave" on June 18 and 19, according to the weather bureau. The red alert affects Aurangabad, Rohtas, Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, and Arwal as well as other nearby areas. Orange alerts have been issued for Patna, Begusarai, Khagaria, Nalanda, Banka, Sheikhpura, Jamui, and Lakhisarai, while yellow alerts have been issued for East Champaran, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Jehanabad, and East Champaran.
