The impact of the June 2021 heat wave on ED visits was explored

(HealthDay): The impact of the June 2021 heat wave on visits by the heat-related emergency department is addressed in a report published in the July 16 issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States Weekly morbidity and mortality report.

Paul J. Schramm, MPH, of the Atlanta CDC, and colleagues analyzed data from the National Syndromic Surveillance Program to examine Department of Health emergency department visits to the Department of Health region 10 and U.S. Human Services (HHS), including Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, between May 1 and June 30, 2019 and 2021.

The researchers found that HHS region 10 had 3,504 heat-related disease visits to emergency services during the months of May and June 2021; about 79 percent (2,779 visits) occurred over six days (June 25-30), when most of Oregon and Washington received an excessive heat warning. On June 28, a clear peak was recorded, with 1,090 visits to the heat-related emergency department. After the adjustment to facilitate comparison between 2021 and 2019, on June 28, 2021 there were 1,038 visits to the emergency department for heat-related illnesses, compared to nine in 2019. The average daily number of visits for heat-related diseases in HHS region 10 was more than seven times higher for June 2021 compared to June 2019 (102 vs. 14) and was 69 times higher between 25 and 30 June of 2021, compared to the same days of 2019.

“Environmental emergencies need timely monitoring mechanisms health information“The authors write.” Syndromic surveillance helps meet this need by monitoring real-time health conditions to activate response, policy guidance, allocate resources, and save lives. ”

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