It is a consequence of the high heat which was to be expected, and which is now official.
The number of visits and calls to SOS Doctors in connection with the high temperatures has increased sharply this summer, according to the last newscast of the organization of August 11, made public by Relaxnews. This increase in consultations is confirmed in all age groups, even if it is more important in the elderly. In particular, the number of visits has doubled among children and three among adults under 75 years of age. As for people aged over 75, there is a 10% increase in consultations due to high heat. Unsurprisingly, the greatest number of calls and visits was observed in the South and South-East of France.
In addition, consultations for insect bites are also increasing, in children from 2 to 14 years old and in adults (+ 24% all ages combined). According to the specialists who wrote the newsletter, this problem is also a consequence of the high temperatures observed this summer.
Visits for discomfort are also up 35% among adults under 75, but remain stable among other age groups. In contrast, the study reports a 39% increase in visits for asthma among people over 75 years old.
Finally, SOS Médecins specifies that “with 229 weekly visits for all ages, the numbers are however far below those observed during the 2 previous heat waves.[en juin et juillet], and are close to those of the summer of 2013 at this time. In short, nothing to be alarmed about.
As a reminder, in the event of extreme heat, it is strongly recommended to drink at least two liters of water per day distributed throughout the day, to avoid alcohol and to stay cool as much as possible.
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