Amid rising temperature and heatwave across the nation, the Centre has urged states/UTs to review their health facility preparedness, PTI reported. In a letter to the states/UTs on Saturday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan urged states/UTs to ensure the availability of adequate quantities of essential medicines, sufficient drinking water, and continued functioning of cooling appliances in critical areas. The letter mentions that from March 1, daily surveillance on heat-related illnesses has been initiated under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in all states and districts.
Meanwhile, Several parts of Bengaluru received heavy rainfall today as Northern and Central India continued to reel under the scorching heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said heatwave conditions might abate over Delhi and adjoining areas including Punjab, Haryana south UP, and Kutch from Monday. The Met department has also predicted heatwave in isolated parts over Vidarbha, MP, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and West Rajasthan today and tomorrow.
The maximum temperature in Delhi on Sunday settled at 40.5 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season’s average, while the minimum temperature in the national capital settled at 25.8 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season’s average, the IMD said. Relative humidity oscillated between 62 per cent to 36 per cent.