PHOENIX — Hot summers in Arizona are not uncommon, but this July could be one of the hottest and deadliest in years.
Temperatures have been above 110 degrees Celsius for 11 consecutive days, slightly breaking the 1974 record of 18 consecutive days above 110 degrees Celsius.
The heat is partly due to a relentless heatwave that has hit the southwest of the country and is affecting millions, causing an increase in heat-related illnesses and deaths.
Maricopa County has eight confirmed heat-related deaths this season, but officials expect the number to skyrocket, citing delays in reporting to 12 News.
“Heat-related emergency departments are busier than usual,” said Frank Robecchio, an emergency physician at Valleywise Health Medical Center.
Dr Robecchio said first responders have been able to reach many people suffering from heat-related illnesses, but hospitals are accepting the most critically ill patients.
“Unfortunately, several times a day we see people who have a high fever and are in a coma,” Dr. Robecchio said. “Normally, thermometers only show him around 107 degrees, so it’s not uncommon for him to have two or three people with a temperature of 107 degrees. Your body doesn’t like that temperature.”
Credit: Maricopa County Department of Public Health
The number of deaths due to heatstroke has increased rapidly in recent years. Heat killed a record 425 people last summer, a figure that quadrupled in just 10 years and is a 21% increase from 2021, when 229 heat-related deaths occurred.
In 2022, more than half of heat-related deaths occurred in July, according to county reports.
Dr. Nick Stave, assistant medical director of the Maricopa County Public Health Department, said when asked about the current heatwave, “What we’ve learned this year is that our numbers track last year’s situation. It means there is,” he said.
Since 2013, Dr. Staab has said: County tripled number of cooling and hydration stationsefforts to prevent heat-related illness and death.
Credit: Maricopa County Department of Public Health
Speaking not only to those not in shelters, but also to the general public, Dr. Staab said, “I really hope that there will be a heat plan so people can go to cooler places.” “It’s important to stay hydrated, but it’s also important to be indoors during the hottest parts of the day.”
At least 10 people have already been taken to the Arizona Burn Center after suffering burns from touching pavements and other hot surfaces due to the unsafe heat.
“The human body was not built to withstand these temperatures outside,” says Dr. Lovecchio. “At this temperature, the body stops responding.”
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