Local hospital sees spike in heat-related illnesses
According to doctors at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, they are seeing an influx of patients dealing with heat-related illnesses. This is all due to the current heat wave in the Coachella Valley with temperatures reaching into the 120s.
Common signs of heat-related illnesses you should watch out for:
Nausea and vomiting Headache Dizziness Rapid heart rate Decreased sweating Read: Palm Springs ties daily high record of 122 degrees!
Dr. Andrew Kassinove, Medical Director at the hospital, said most of the patients were dealing with heat exhaustion.
CDC: Warning signs and symptoms of heat-related illness
News Channel 3’s and CBS Local 2’s Jeremy Chen spoke with Dr. Kassinove on what they have seen during the last few days.
“With this current heat wave being the hottest one so far this year, one local hospital is seeing increased number of patients deadling with heat-related illnesses,” Dr. Kassinove said. “We’re getting quite a bit of patients coming in, even with vague complaints like dizziness or not feeling well.”
Dr. Kassinove said they typically see one or two patients a day but they’ve seen between five or ten a day now.
It’s a different kind of story at other hospitals such as Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage and Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. Officials at both of those hospitals said they are seeing the usual number of patients at this time of year.
One hiker we spoke to at the Bump and Grind trail, Tony Mazza, told us how he is making sure he doesn’t end up at the hospital for heat exhaustion.
“[I drink] a lot of cool water, cover your head, sunscreen, put some shirts on…it just heats up within an hour,” Mazza said.
These are similar steps that Dr. Kassinove recommends in order to stay cool and ward off any potential illness from the scorching heat.
With this current heat wave, doctors are suggesting people stay off the trails for now until the weather significantly cools.
Read: More Health Headlines Read: Healthy Seniors Read: Healthy Families Read: More of today’s Top Stories from KESQ & CBS Local 2
