AFTER the weather bureau announced the official start of dry season, the Department of Health advised the public to avoid heat strokes by staying hydrated amid the usual scorching heat of the Philippine summer.
“We should not forget to drink water,” Health Secretary Janette L. Garin said in an advisory after the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration declared on Friday the start of the dry season with the termination of the northeast monsoon.
Aside from keeping oneself hydrated, Garin said people should also limit the amount of time you spend under the sun and wearing a wide-brimmed hat, umbrella and long-sleeved clothing. People should also limit heavy activities to the beginning or end of the day, when it’s cooler.
Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat injury and happens when the body fails to cool down. It happens when the body temperature is between 104 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit which start to manifest once the body fails to recover from heat exhaustion.
Under this condition, heat stroke victims are not able to sweat and release excessive heat due to dehydration and humid temperature.
Although some age groups such as the elderly and young children are considered high-risk, everyone who is exposed directly to the sun can be a victim of heat stroke.
Some signs of heat exhaustion include dizziness or fainting; anxiety; headache; intense thirst, dehydration; and weakness or discomfort.
Other signs and symptoms (usually preceded by heat exhaustion) include delirium; unconsciousness or comatose; very high core body temperature of 400 Centigrade or more; hot, dry skin; rapid heartbeat; and convulsion.
As first-aid measures, the following are suggested to be done if one encounters people experiencing heat strokes:
Garin issued the advisory after Pagasa acting administrator Vicente Malano said that recent observations showed gradual increase in daily temperature recorded in most parts of the country.
He said that the wind analysis indicated the shift of wind direction from northeasterly to easterly and considering anticipated changes in wind pattern and pressure system related with the changing season, current weather condition signified the imminent termination of the Northeast monsoon.
With this development, expected day-to-day weather include increasing number of dry and warm days in most areas of the Philippines, partly due to the dominance of the ridge of high pressure area (HPA) and the easterlies.
However, some isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms may also be expected due to convective activities caused by heat island effect and/or wind convergence. Coastal waters on the other hand, may at times be moderate due to the prevalence of strong easterly wind blowing particularly over eastern Luzon and Visayas.