This summer is proving to be fatal for Mumbaikars. The emergency department of many Mumbai hospitals have seen a rise in stroke and cardiac arrest cases. Doctors said that while it is difficult to explain the reason behind the spike, extreme and prolonged heat has long been linked to an increased risk of hospitalisations and deaths from cardiovascular diseases. Hiranandani Hospital Powai’s emergency department has seen an increase of almost 50 per cent in patients with cardiovascular disease in the past two weeks.

Dr Samrat Chavan, Head, Accident and Emergency Department at LH Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, said, “This comes as no surprise as prolonged heatwaves have long been linked to increased risk of hospitalisations and strokes. People can’t control the weather, but they can take steps to minimise the risk.” Recently, an angioplasty was performed on a 33-year-old man at Symbiosis, Dadar.