WNSWLHD Urges Residents To Take Care In Heat

Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) is reminding people to be cautious and have a plan to beat the heat during extreme temperatures forecast across the region for the rest of the week and into the weekend. Priscilla Stanley, WNSWLHD Public Health Director, said temperatures are expect to reach upward of, and in some areas above, 40 degrees Celsius across the District in the coming days.

Ms Stanley urged people to understand how heat can affect their health and take precautions, particularly those at greater risk like older people, people with existing medical conditions, pregnant women, babies and young people, outdoor workers and socially-isolated people. “This summer is predicted to be very hot. For a lot of our District this appears to be one of the first real tastes of that extreme weather, so I encourage everyone to take the risk of heat-related illness very seriously,” Ms Stanley said.

“Heat can impact anyone and it puts a lot of stress of the body. It can cause dehydration, heat stroke and heat exhaustion. These conditions can cause serious illness, hospital admission or even death and extreme heat can also make underlying health conditions worse.”

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