Heatstroke kills 4 in Jharkhand, over 1,300 admitted to hospital

Ranchi, May 31 (PTI) Four persons died of sunstroke in Jharkhand on Friday, while 1,326 others were admitted to hospital amid sweltering heat in most parts of the eastern state, officials said.

All district hospitals and other medical facilities have been asked to set aside air-conditioned rooms and empty beds for heatstroke patients, they said.

"Four persons - three in Palamu and one in Jamshedpur - died of heatstroke in Jharkhand. These deaths did not occur in hospitals. As many as 1,326 people were admitted to hospitals in different districts of the state due to heat-related issues. Out of these, 63 are confirmed cases of heatstroke so far," Dr Alok Trivedi, Mission Director, National Health Mission (Jharkhand), told PTI.

A majority of the 24 districts in Jharkhand recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, with the mercury shooting above 47 degrees Celsius in places like Daltonganj and Garhwa.

Apart from humans, the heatwave has also taken a toll on animals, especially bats.

Deaths of bats are being reported from Hazaribag, Ranchi, Garhwa and Palamu among other parts of the state, the officials said.

It is often seen that bats die during high temperatures, Dr Trivedi said, adding, there have been reports of locals consuming dead bats in Garhwa.

People who consumed bats have been isolated and kept under observation. Their samples would be sent to ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), he said.

"We are also ensuring proper burial of dead bats," Dr Trivedi said. PTI