Heat Wave in Italy Causes Surge in Emergency Patients

JAKARTA - The extraordinary heat wave that hit Europe has begun to have an impact on emergency rooms in Italy, with the number of visits rising by 10-15 percent in major cities.

"We can estimate a 10-15 percent spike in emergency room visits in major cities," said the President of the Italian Emergency Doctors Association (Simeu), Alessandro Riccardi, as reported by ANTARA from ANSA, Friday, June 26,

He also clarified that currently "the increase in visits is still not significant and there is no need to worry".

According to him, this visit is mainly about the elderly, but also includes people with mental health conditions.

Riccardi warned that the shortage of medical and nursing staff in emergency rooms also had an impact amid temperatures far above average.