As Chicagoan's braced for another sweltering weekend, officials urged residents to stay cool after the National Weather Service declared the area's second heat warning of the summer.The weather service said Friday that high temperatures and humidity could push the heat index above 100 degrees through early next week. Excessive heat has been predicted for 19 Illinois counties.The danger of multiple, scorching days, officials warned, is the cumulative effect of heat on the body. "Each day of a heat wave is more deadly than the day before," said Dr. William Paul, deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. But, he said, heat-related deaths are preventable.
To avoid heat-induced illnesses, Paul emphasized that cooling off even for two to three hours on extremely hot days can help the body cope. People living without air-conditioning are encouraged to visit cooling centers, take cool baths or showers and drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
Since the summer's first heat wave swept through the region two weeks ago, officials have attributed eight deaths to the heat, with the victims ranging from age 49 to 79.
On Friday, officials in Cicero said the death of a 6-month-old girl may have been heat-related. An autopsy of the child will be performed Saturday, police said.
Officials are responding to the heat wave by opening cooling centers across the city and suburbs and extending hours at some senior centers. In Chicago, four senior centers will have extended hours. Other cooling centers include district police stations, libraries and park facilities.The Chicago Department on Aging will place calls to high-risk seniors and will team up with the Department of Human Services to conduct well-being checks requested through phone calls to 311, the city's information number.
www.medquote.com
www.medequote.net
www.unicaresoundplans.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment