Ten more people were treated for hypothermia on Tuesday as the cold snap in Hong Kong persists. Doctors warn the elderly to be more careful before the temperature would warm up this coming weekend.
A total of 32 patients were treated for hypothermia for the past three days as chilly weather continues, the South China Morning Post reported. The condition usually occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it - leading to dangerously low body temperature.
On Sunday, a 90-year-old woman in the city died due to the cold snap, and on New Year's Eve, a total of 5,550 visits were made to an emergency, and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tai was seen to have the highest number of patients.
Four men and six women were, aged 60 to 101, were treated for hypothermia on the first day of 2019, while three women and 13 men, aged 29 to 94, were sent to public hospitals on New Year's Eve.
The forecast for Wednesday will be cold as well, with temperatures ranging between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius. But, residents can expect warmer weather over the next two days before reaching 22 degrees this weekend.
The sudden changes in temperatures might trigger heart attacks, Dr. Leung Chi-chiu said, a specialist in respiratory medicine. He warned that respiratory infections are prevalent during the cold weather. Those who have asthma might also find their symptoms are exacerbated in winter.
Dr. Lee Ka-hing, who is an emergency doctor at the private Union Hospital, advised elderly parents living on their own to wear thick clothes and make sure they had radiators. He said the group that's at risk of hypothermia are the very old ones.
The organs in the body, such as the brain, might be damaged when the body's temperature drops to between 28 and 30 degrees. The Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health noted those who have respiratory illnesses, heart disease, and other chronic diseases (diabetes and hypertension) should also keep themselves warm.
The center also advised the general public not to drink alcohol as it accelerated the loss of body heat through dilated blood vessels - leading to chills. Meanwhile, the Labor Department said employers should inform their employees working outdoors or in remote areas to wear warm clothing. If they feel unwell, they should immediately seek medical help.
Back in January 2016, Forty-five people were sent to the hospital, some for hypothermia, and primary school and kindergarten classes were suspended after a polar vortex swept through Hong Kong and other parts of East Asia.
