Although there has been a spike in patients suffering from heatstrokes, Dr Rawat said, “In heatstroke patients, the symptoms are fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea, but those are generally resolved with some ORS, or if their blood pressure drops too low, we give them intravenous RL (Lactated Ringer’s solution).”
Ballia is currently grappling with extreme heat. The district experienced a maximum temperature of 44 degrees Celsius on Saturday, 17 June, surpassing the normal range by six degrees. The India Meteorological Department has also issued a yellow alert in light of the heatwave-like conditions in parts of Uttar Pradesh.
FIT also reached out to Dr Rakesh Singh, a general physician in Ballia, who said that although the district had been “seeing some cases of dehydration and related issues, but nothing serious.”
Officials have, however, expressed concern over the surge in patients hospitalised in the past week. Nearly 400 patients were reportedly admitted to the district hospital between 15 June and 17 June.
Of these, 54 patients died within three days, confirmed Dr Singh, adding, “they were all aged above 60 years.”
“The number of deaths in the district hospital seen in the last week is unusual. Had it been a matter of weather, the nearby districts would have also been affected,” Singh conceded. Hence, they are investigating to know more, he added.
It must also be noted that most of the patients who died belonged to two towns – Bansdih and Gadwar – in the district.
“16 patients of the Bansdih block and 11 patients of the Garhwar block have died,” said Singh.
Both these areas are close to a river (Ganges), which has led investigating officials to consider water contamination as a possible cause of the deaths.
He further added that the team will carry out blood, urine, serum, and even stool tests of the currently patients admitted – particularly in those patients who have diarrhoea.
The commitee has not specified when these test will be carried out, or when the reports will be available.