As India grapples with intense heatwave, the number of heatstroke cases is on the rise. At least 17 people lost their lives in the past 24 hours in Delhi, due to suspected heat-related illnesses.
These deaths have been recorded at Delhi's RML and Safdarjung hospitals, the officials said on Thursday. Hospitals in Delhi have seen a rise in the number of casualties and patients owing to heatstroke.
According to officials at the Safdarjung Hospital, 33 patients suffering from heat-related illnesses were admitted. Of them 13 died in the last 24 hours, they said. The Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital received 22 patients with a suspected heatstroke in the last 24 hours out of which four have died, a hospital source said.
Delhi has been battling searing heatwave conditions over the last few days. It got some relief on Thursday morning due to light rain.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has directed the rescue of the homeless from footpaths, and parks and sent them to shelter homes.
An order on it was issued to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) by Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Wednesday.
With the summer season at its peak in Delhi and various advisories issued by concerned government departments (NDMA, NPCCHH, NCDC, state health departments, etc.), it has been directed to carry out rescue drives in Delhi, the order stated.
According to the order, the rescue drive will be carried out in order to tackle the ongoing extreme summer situation as a part of the heatwave action plan and rescue homeless people sleeping on footpaths, open spaces, parks, etc. by providing suitable accommodation in the shelter homes of DUSIB.
"Therefore, all shelter management agencies (SMAs) are hereby directed to form the rescue teams and start the rescue drive in their jurisdiction/cluster from today itself. The rescue drive will be carried out from 12 pm to 12 am every day during this summer season and subsequently, the report of the previous day's rescue drive shall be submitted by 11 am next day positively," the order read.
Appropriate medical assistance to people in distress due to the heat should be prioritised and Centralized Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulance can also be used to send sick persons to hospital, it said.
A report on the drive should be sent daily and any laxity on it will be viewed seriously, the order added.
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