China stresses role of hospitals in extreme heat response

With temperatures continuing to sizzle across most of the country, China on Friday demanded that hospitals better coordinate their efforts to treat heatstroke patients and cope with heat-triggered public health emergencies.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission said heatstroke cases have recently surged in China, and it urged hospitals to pay more attention to treating patients with conditions related to extreme heat.

Local health authorities and hospitals have been asked to monitor and report heatstroke cases and boost emergency response readiness strictly in accordance with rules, according to a circular issued by the commission.

Hot weather is expected to continue in south China over the upcoming 10 days, and there could be up to seven days of high temperatures climbing above 35 degrees Celsius in Hunan and Zhejiang as well as parts of Hubei, Jiangsu, Anhui and Jiangxi, forecasting authorities said Friday.