Heatstroke

The main cause of heatstroke is high humidity

It is a common misunderstanding that heatstroke occurs mostly in August during the hot summer. The fact is it occurs mostly in June when the rainy season starts or in July when the rainy season ends since the body is still not used to the sudden increase in heat. The “Heat index (WBGT)” provided by the Ministry of the Environment uses a numerical value to determine the risk of heatstroke with an index consisting of “Temperature“, “Humidity” and “Radiant heat“. The ratio at the time of calculation for outdoor use is 70% Humidity, 20% Radiant heat, 10% Temperature while for indoor use it is 70% Humidity, 30% Radiant heat. Since Humidity accounts for 70% of the heat index both indoors and outdoors, the higher the humidity, the more careful you need to be about heatstroke.

Special attention is required for people older than 65. In 2017, 52,984 people were taken to hospital by ambulance due to heatstroke, and about half of them were aged 65 or older. As we age, the body‘s temperature sensors become less sensitive to heat and are unable to cool or regulate body temperature. Compared to younger people, most elderly people in the summer live in a hot and humid environment where the room temperature is about 2ºC higher and humidity is 5% higher.