Orange alert issued as temperatures exceed 40 C in parts of China

China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued an orange alert for high temperature on Tuesday, warning that certain regions of the country could experience temperatures exceeding 40 C.

Those regions include parts of Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, East China's Zhejiang, Anhui and Fujian Provinces, and Turpan Basin in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Beijing, along with areas including North China's Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province, and central and western parts of the Huanghuai region saw temperatures exceeding 35 C, with temperatures in some areas, including central and eastern parts of the Sichuan Basin and Chongqing, reaching between 37 to 39 C.

The NMC also reminded official bodies to implement measures to prevent heat stroke, and try to avoid outdoor activities at high temperature, and those working in hot conditions should shorten their continuous working hours.

It also suggested guidance be issued for the elderly, the weak, sick and the young on how to prevent heat related conditions and take the necessary protective measures, and relevant departments and organizations should pay attention to the prevention of fires caused by high electricity consumption and excessive loads on power lines, transformers and other electrical power sources.

According to media reports on Friday, Shanghai Pudong hospital has received 23 patients suffering from heat stroke since the beginning of July, with most of the patients aged between 40 to 70. Some of them were discovered unconscious and unresponsive after prolonged outdoor work in high temperatures, with a body temperature of 42 C or higher.

Outdoor workers, the elderly, children, pregnant women, patients with cerebrovascular diseases and other special groups should pay special attention to the prevention of heat stroke and cooling, according to Wang Zhihua, the chief of Emergency Intensive Care Unit in Shanghai Pudong hospital, reported by media.

The public should also be highly alert to the precursors of heat stroke, including sweating, thirst, dizziness, blurred vision, chest tightness, palpitations, nausea, loss of concentration and normal or slightly elevated body temperature, according to media reports.