With humidex values nearing forty degrees in our area over the coming days, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit is giving residents advice for safely dealing with the heat.
“Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a heat warning for our Health Unit area because heat and humidity are expected to rise into the high thirties,” says Communications Coordinator Susan Healey.
“High heat can be hazardous to your health as they have the potential to cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and in some cases death,” she adds.
Healey recommends checking in on neighbors and loved ones regularly through the heat, especially elderly people, infants, and people with chronic illnesses whose medication affects their body temperature.
People struggling with a lack of housing or who work or exercise outside for extended periods are also at an increased risk of experiencing health complications from the hot weather, she says.
According to Healey, if you start to experience symptoms like nausea, difficulty breathing, blurry vision or dizziness while in the heat, you should seek immediate medical attention.
“Even short periods of exposure to high temperatures can cause health problems,” she says.
Dr. Paula Stewart, the organization’s Medical Officer of Health, says a detailed breakdown of the Health Unit’s advice on dealing with extreme heat can be found on its website here.