HCM CITY — Children’s hospitals in HCM City are getting a large number of patients with respiratory ailments and diarrhoea due to an ongoing hot spell in southern region with temperatures rising up to 37 degrees Celsius.

In the last few days the HCM City Children’s Hospital No 1 has been getting 6,000-8,000 patients daily, two-thirds of them with the two ailments, according to its general planning department.

Trần Anh Tuấn, head of its respiratory department, said the number of in-patients with respiratory problems has risen by 30 per cent.

Hoàng Lê Phúc, head of the digestion department, said in the last three weeks the number of patients with digestive disorders has also increased by 10 per cent.

Some 16-17 have been hospitalised every week compared to 12 in the previous weeks, he said.

Children’s Hospital No 2 reported an increase of 1,000 patients daily to 6,000-7,000.

Around 190-200 children are treated for respiratory problems compared to 150 normally.

The hot weather could lower children’s immunity to common illnesses due to perspiration and lack of water and electrolytes, Tuấn said.

The sudden change in temperature between air-conditioned rooms and outside also make children vulnerable to illnesses, he said.

The number of older patients with respiratory diseases, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular and other chronic diseases has also increased due to the abnormally hot weather.

Thống Nhất Hospital in HCM City reported an increase in the number of such patients this month.

The number of people with respiratory diseases and musculoskeletal disorders has risen by 10 per cent this month.

People’s Hospital 115 in HCM City also reported a jump of 10 per cent in the number of patients from the average 3,500-4,000 a day.

Nguyễn Đình Phú, deputy director of the hospital, said most come with high blood pressure, asthma and cardiovascular and digestive disorders.

The University Medical Centre in HCM City receives an average of more than 5,000 patients daily.

The number of patients rose by 10 per cent from before the hot spell and 6 per cent from the same period last year, Âu Thanh Tùng, head of the hospital’s examination department, said.

The number of patients suffering from strokes ranged from 150 to 180, and was rising, he said. — VNS