Heatwaves

Excessive heat affects the health of whole communities. Exposure to high temperatures can compromise the body’s ability to regulate temperature, potentially resulting in a wide range of illnesses, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and hyperthermia (1). It also aggravates pre-existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, as well as causing mental health issues and domestic violence. Some population subgroups are more exposed to and/or more vulnerable to health risks from heat than others. The main such sub-groups are the elderly, the chronically ill, people with disabilities, infants and children, pregnant women, outdoor and manual workers, athletes, and the urban poor.