In the Canary Islands, six people died last July due to high temperatures, according to estimates from the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), which puts the number of deaths from this cause at 771 throughout the national territory in the seventh month of the year.
According to the ISCIII's Daily Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo), as the month has progressed, mortality estimates have been increasing: 37 in the first week, 49 in the second and 102 in the third.
In the month of July, according to this daily mortality surveillance system, 32,582 deaths have been reported, with an excess of 824 "from all causes" and of these 771 are attributable to temperature.
Last year, the estimates of this surveillance system for deaths attributable to temperatures in the month of July were somewhat lower, a total of 686, up to 85 less.
Of these 771 deaths attributable to high temperatures in July, 459 correspond to women and 312 to men. The deaths estimated by heat significantly affect those over 65 years of age, with 751 estimated cases.
By autonomous communities, the Community of Madrid ranks first with 208 deaths attributable to excess heat between July 1 and 31, followed by Castilla y León, with 96; Castilla-La Mancha (75) and Catalonia (73).
These regions are followed by Andalusia (69 estimated deaths due to excess temperature), Galicia (61), Aragon (55), Valencian Community (45), Extremadura (30), La Rioja (12), Navarra (11), Asturias (10), Basque Country (7), Canary Islands and Murcia (6 in each case), Balearic Islands (4), Cantabria (1), Ceuta (1) and Melilla (0).
Due to the high temperatures that are being recorded these weeks throughout the country, the Ministry of Health has been warning, on social networks, with a campaign against the heat: "Protect yourself, hydrate, cool off and take care of the most vulnerable people."
The Ministry of Health has published a decalogue of recommendations in which it recommends hydration and staying overnight in cool places, and asks people at greater risk (due to age, pregnancy or some pathology) to take extreme precautions.
The Ministry of Health warns that among the signs of heat stroke are exhaustion, headache, nausea, dizziness, sweating, cold and clammy skin, rapid and weak pulse or fever.
The Ministry of Health recommends avoiding drinks with caffeine, alcohol or very sugary drinks, as they can promote dehydration and asks to pay attention to babies, pregnant women, the elderly or people with diseases that may be aggravated by heat, such as heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cancer, pathologies that make mobility difficult, dementia, and others such as addiction to drugs and alcohol.
