Amid an intense heatwave sweeping across North India, Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital has admitted the season’s first severe heat stroke patient a 24-year-old student from West Bengal who remains in critical condition. According to hospital officials, the youth was brought unconscious to the emergency department around 1:45 am on the intervening night of May 20 and 21 after his health deteriorated while travelling on a train. Doctors said he was suffering from vomiting, loose motions, altered sensorium, faecal incontinence and an extremely high body temperature.
Dr Ajay Chauhan, Director Professor of Medicine at RML Hospital, said the patient was immediately shifted for emergency cooling treatment. “We immediately put him in ice water and tried to cool him down. The patient is currently in the ICU and on ventilator support,” he said. Hospital authorities stated that despite intensive medical management the youth’s condition continues to be extremely serious. Doctors warned that heat stroke can rapidly become fatal if not treated promptly.
The incident comes as Delhi reels under severe heatwave conditions with temperatures hovering around 45-46 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the national capital warning residents about extreme daytime temperatures and unusually warm nights. Delhi also recorded its warmest May night in nearly 14 years with the minimum temperature touching 31.9 degrees Celsius.
Doctors across the city have urged people to remain cautious and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun especially during afternoon hours. Medical experts advised citizens to stay hydrated, consume fluids mixed with salts and electrolytes, wear light cotton clothing and seek shade frequently while outdoors. Health experts said warning signs such as dizziness, confusion, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, muscle cramps and fainting should not be ignored as they may indicate heat exhaustion or heat stroke requiring immediate medical attention.
Meanwhile, Delhi hospitals have activated dedicated heat stroke units and emergency response systems as the city braces for prolonged heatwave conditions over the coming days.