Accident and emergency rooms ‘filled with hot weather victims’

Paramedics, doctors and nurses from the St James’s Hospital in Leeds have reported that the accident and emergency rooms have been filled with people suffering from preventable ailments related to the recent hot weather and humidity.

The hospital’s Graham Johnson said that there were “a number of people” who had gone into casualty with “lighter injuries”.

He told BBC One’s Look North programme: “We’re certainly concerned about some of the things that are very definitely preventable, for instance sunburn. I think in this day and age I think people would know how to behave sensibly in hot [weather] and prevent sunburn.”

“There has been a certain amount of excess alcohol consumption around and that’s led to some of the more bizarre minor injuries, like people falling on glass and trying to do things when they’re a little bit intoxicated that they really shouldn’t be doing,” he added.

Recently, government advice for the elderly and weak to keep hydrated and out of the sun came under criticism from the Salt Manufacturers’ Association SMA because it made no mention keeping salt levels at a sufficient level.

SMA general secretary Peter Sherratt commented: “Many older people have cut back on salt as a result of the government’s blanket advice and they could now be highly at risk.”

Loss of salt can thicken the blood, causing strokes and heart attacks. In addition, it can cause muscle difficulties, such as cramp.

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