Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova, Azernews Staff Writer

The number of ambulance call-outs increased 5-6 percent in the hot summer months of this year in comparison with the rates reported this winter, deputy head of the Baku emergency medical aid facility, Zemfira Vahidova, told the local press.

Most of the cases concerned children`s acute respiratory diseases, Vahidova said. However, cases of chronic cardiovascular, kidney, liver diseases and hypertony become more frequent in the summer period as well.

More than 1,500 people apply for medical aid to the Baku City Emergency and Urgent Medical Aid Station daily in summer time, and hundreds of sick persons are hospitalized.

So far, 103 Baku residents have caught sunstrokes, with 30 hospitalized, Vahidova said early last week.

The figure is indeed alarming, and the Azerbaijani trade unions body recommends avoiding outdoor work in the period between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to prevent sunstrokes. If necessary, outside work should last no more than one hour.

Official forecasts optimistic

Azerbaijani weather forecasters have said the current temperatures are within the affordable norm.

The heat record was not broken during this summer, the Azerbaijan National Hydrometeorology Department said.

It also said the precipitation total will not surpass the norm this month.

The senior hydrologist at the hydrometeorology department, Asif Verdiyev, said that the summers of 2010 and 2011 were hotter than the summer of 2012, while the hottest summer was recorded in 2000. The hottest days this year, so far, were July 24 and 25, and August 6, when temperatures ranged between 39 and 42 degrees Celsius.

The country`s population is suffering from this unpleasant surprise of nature, which brings them dire problems. Hot weather entails different dangers, including sunstrokes, food poisoning, snake and scorpion bites, etc.

Sunstroke cases

According to physician Valeh Gurbanov, temperatures exceeding 37 degrees could be damaging to health. Healthy people can also be prone to high temperature, but the heat attack is more dangerous for people with cardiovascular, digestive, blood circulation and pressure problems.

The physician said it is prohibited to work under the open sun for a long time without head-dress and sunglasses. Also, more liquid should be consumed to avoid dehydration.

According to the Azerbaijani legislation, work under the open sun with temperatures reaching 41 degrees is strictly prohibited.

The labor inspectorate and trade unions control outdoor labor, in places such as construction sites and oil fields. If a violation of the law is revealed, the violator faces a fine of around 2,000 manats ($2,500).

Heat may also cause food poisoning. More than 600 people have been contaminated since the beginning of the year, said Imran Abdullayev, head of the Food Hygiene Department at the Republican Centre of Hygiene and Epidemiology (RCGE).

Abdullayev added that special attention should be paid to storage conditions of products with a short shelf-life, as more people are poisoned by food in summer time.

According to the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service, 552 food poisoning cases occurred in the first six months of this year, affecting 616 people. During this period, 16 people suffered of botulism.

To avoid food poisoning, one must simply follow hygiene rules and buy food in reliable catering outlets and grocery stores.

Animal aggression rises

The heat affects not only people but also animals. High temperature causes utmost aggression of snakes and scorpions in Azerbaijan every year.

According to Zemfira Vahidova, the number of snake and scorpion bites increased 20-22 percent in 2012.

First complaints over snake bites were reported in April. In the two summer months, 106 people suffered from snake, scorpion and spider bites, with 80 percent of the injured being snake victims. This compares to 82 people who suffered of poisonous animal attacks in the same period of 2011.

To avoid dire consequences of intoxication, the affected person should seek medical aid within 24 hours.

Azer Magsudov, the head of toxicology at the Central Clinical Hospital, explains that snakes and scorpions bite in self-defense.

People should move more carefully not to step on snakes and scorpions in their gardens or fields, as well as in forests and in rocky areas, where these animals live.

Danger on water

Approximately 200 people have been rescued at Baku beaches since the beginning of the year, said Mansub Priyev, the head of Lifeboat Rescue Department of the Emergency Situations Ministry.

Beaches in Baku -- the favorable recreation places in summer -- can also be dangerous for some reasons. Each year RCGE tests the beaches for bacteria. This year, the people were warned that two of them, Shikhov and Sahil, had infected waters. The rest of the beaches are said to be clean, but are still dangerous for those who bathe in forbidden areas or under the influence of alcohol.

Unfortunately, beaches sometimes turn out a fatal place for those trying to cope with summer heat. Although, the number of those drowned decreased this year with the help of rescuers, the statistics is still depressing, especially on weekends. To date, 12 adults and 5 children drowned in Baku beaches, while 18 were hospitalized, Zemfira Vahidova said.

Basic rules that would save your life are: the swimming time should not exceed 10-15 minutes, as hypothermia may cause convulsions. One should swim and dive only in permitted areas of the beach. Above all, children must not be left unattended.

Water shortages in rivers

Beside life-threatening danger, heat brings about some other problems for Azerbaijanis.

According to the National Hydrometeorology Department of the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry, a decrease of water level was observed in the downstream of Kura River on August 13.

The hydrometeorology department links the decrease of water levels to the hot weather.

This water shortage may affect agriculture in the regions, as well as water supply of the population there.

Fire is another problem the heat and water shortage leads to. According to the Emergency Situations Ministry, numerous cases of dried grass burning were reported in 14 regions of Azerbaijan.

If all precautions are followed, the only thing we can do is to wait for this scorching heat to subside.