Doctors warn of heat exhaustion as UAE temperatures edge to 50°C

Doctors have urged UAE residents and visitors to take precautions in the summer heat – as temperatures edge close to 50°C.

The mercury rose to 49.9°C on Friday – the hottest temperature recorded by the National Centre of Meteorology this year – with the weekend's figures not yet released by the centre. Sunday saw similar temperatures.

Now the UAE summer has finally hit, medics have urged people to stay indoors during peak heat hours where possible and avoid direct sun exposure.

“Avoid strenuous activities during the hottest parts of the day and allow your body time to acclimate to hot weather before engaging in strenuous activities,” said Dr Karthikeyan Chinniah, consultant in emergency medicine at Lifecare Hospital in Mussaffah, Abu Dhabi.

“Wearing loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing, and using sunscreen and sunglasses can also help protect against the sun,” he said. “It is essential to consume enough water to stay sufficiently hydrated.”

Regional heatwave

Intense heat has baked the wider Middle East over the past few weeks. In Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait and Jordan, residents have endured high temperatures, worsened by rolling power cuts.

Pilgrims performing Hajj also faced temperatures in excess of 50°C, the death toll from the extreme heat has exceeded 1,000, an AFP tally showed on Thursday.

Other parts of the world are also being hit by gruelling heat, including India, the US and parts of Europe. The world just experienced its hottest May on record, according to the EU's climate change monitoring service. Scientists say climate change is making the situation worse.

In the UAE, many people escape the worst of the country’s summer heat inside air-conditioned public transport, offices and malls.

For those who have to work outside, the UAE implemented its annual mandatory break for outdoor workers on June 15. During this time, outdoors labour is prohibited between 12:30pm until 3pm, with this ban running until September 15.

What is heat exhaustion and heat stroke?

Heat exhaustion typically occurs when the body overheats and leads to symptoms such as weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, rapid pulse, vomiting and excessive thirst.

Heat stroke, however, is more severe where the body's temperature regulation fails, people cannot sweat to cool down and it leads to a dangerously high core temperature above 40°C, causing confusion, altered mental state, failure of vital organs, and, in some cases, death.

Heat exhaustion can be treated by moving the person to a cooler environment, removing restrictive clothing, having them lie down and elevating their legs, misting their skin with cool water and providing refrigerated drinks, said Dr Chinniah.

For heat stroke, rapid cooling is crucial, involving cold water sponging and administering intravenous electrolytes. But both conditions require immediate medical attention.

Dr Brian Mtemererwa, consultant endocrinologist and internal medicine, at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital in Dubai, noted that heat exhaustion can often go undiagnosed. People “underestimated” its potency, he said, with those suffering from the condition needing to be admitted to hospital for 48 hours.

“If someone is exposed to heat and has weakness, aches or a headache they need to think about heat exhaustion,” he said.

“People playing sports also need to think about this. If someone becomes weak or underperforms, you need to consider this.”

How to beat the heat

Dr Mtemererwa urged people who were out in temperatures greater than 40°C beyond 15 minutes to “think twice”. They should take a break for 10 minutes and if feeling the effects of heat, try to access an air-conditioned room or use cool water to bring their temperature down.

He advised people to stay hydrated by drinking water and avoid alcohol and caffeine based drinks that can cause dehydration. Anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen should not be used to treat heat exhaustion as this can make it worse, Dr Mtemererwa cautioned.

“Also avoid over-cooling to the extent of shivering,” he said. “When people shiver, they generate heat internally and it worsens the process. And if anyone shows signs of confusion or weakness, that person needs to be in an emergency facility.”

Experts say people most at risk are elderly; children – especially those under five; those pregnant; individuals on medication; and those with conditions such as diabetes, hyperglycaemia, hypertension, liver and kidney diseases and heart disease.

“Also animals and pets are equally at risk and need to be protected,” said Dr Mtemererwa.

Little respite

For UAE residents, the forecast for the week offers little respite, with NCM predicting a high of 49°C on Monday.

However, its five-day bulletin issued on Sunday says there is chance of rain in parts of the UAE over the next few days, particularly on the east coast, along with a slight drop in temperatures in coastal regions by Wednesday.

“[it will be] fair to partly cloudy at times,” the NCM said for its Wednesday forecast. “Low cloud will appear over the east coast. Temperatures will decrease over the coastal areas. Humid by night and Thursday morning over some coastal areas.”