Singapore: Heat stroke cases increase with rising temperatures

Kheng Leng/Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 19 Jun 12;

SINGAPORE: More people in Singapore are suffering from symptoms of heat exhaustion as temperatures go up, with the average temperature in May and June expected to be higher than previous years according to the Meteorological Service Singapore.

For the coming weeks, the maximum temperature is expected to range between 32 and 34 degree Celsius. Average rainfall is also showing signs of decreasing -- only 42 millimetres of rain has fallen to date, only about a quarter compared to the 162mm of rainfall recorded in previous years during the same period.

One hospital says it has seen 19 heat stroke patients in the first half of this year, compared to at least 25 for the whole of last year. The Changi General Hospital said most heat stroke patients are young people such as national servicemen and athletes in long-distance runs.

"May is perhaps the first month that it gets significantly hot in Singapore. It is the transition between spring and summer, so to speak," Dr Benny Goh, senior consultant at Changi General Hospital said.

"There is less chance for people to become acclimatised to the increase in heat, and because of the lack of acclimatisation, they get heat disorders."

Symptoms of heat disorders include giddiness, nausea and fatigue.

- CNA/wm