The Ministry of Health has just warned that extreme weather not only increases the risk of heatstroke and heat stroke, but can also cause domestic water shortages and outbreaks of waterborne diseases if people do not proactively prevent them.
According to the Department of Disease Prevention (Ministry of Health), 2026 is affected by El Nino, so hot and dry weather appears early, the number of hot days increases and is forecast to continue to be more intense than the multi-year average. Rainfall shortages are common from 10%-40%, many river basins fall to the lowest level in the same period of observation.
Health authorities believe this is an early warning sign of the risk of drought, lack of clean domestic water and serious impacts on public health, especially for workers working outdoors.
To proactively protect people's health in the hot season, the Department of Disease Prevention has sent official letters to the Departments of Health of provinces and cities requesting to strengthen propaganda and guidance on health care measures and safe domestic water treatment.
Older people, young children and outdoor workers are at risk
According to the guidance of the Ministry of Health, common health problems in hot weather include heatstroke, heatstroke, heat stroke. The main causes are prolonged exposure to high temperatures or sudden temperature changes.
High-risk groups include the elderly, young children, pregnant women; outdoor workers such as construction workers, agricultural workers, brick kiln workers, metallurgists... and people with chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The Ministry of Health said that mild symptoms are usually fatigue, thirst, dizziness, cramps, rapid heartbeat. Severe cases can be severe headache, shortness of breath, vomiting, convulsions, fainting, and even death if not treated promptly.
When there are signs of heatstroke, people need to quickly take the victim to a cool place, loosen clothes, apply cool compresses to the body and add water in small sips. If there are severe signs, call emergency services or take them to the nearest medical facility.
Ministry of Health recommends limiting going out from 10am to 4pm
One of the notable recommendations issued by the Ministry of Health is to limit going outdoors in the sun on hot days, especially between 10 am and 4 pm.
People who are in a low-temperature air-conditioned room should not go out into the sun suddenly, but need to have some time for their body to adapt to the outside environment by increasing the air conditioning temperature in the room or sitting in the shade before going out.
People are recommended to wear light, cool, and sweat-absorbing clothes.
Increase consumption of green vegetables and fruits, should have soup in daily meals. Especially, drink at least 1.5 - 2 liters of water/day. Should drink many times a day, do not drink too much water at once.
Train your body to improve your resistance and resistance to hot weather conditions.
For workers who have to work outdoors, the Ministry of Health recommends arranging working hours in the early morning or late afternoon; after about 45 minutes to 1 hour of work, it is necessary to rest for 15-20 minutes in a cool place.
Workers are also advised to use full protective equipment such as helmets, glasses, sun protection clothing; drink water regularly and do not use alcoholic beverages during working hours.
Warning about the risk of clean water shortage in the hot dry season
In addition to the risk of high temperatures, the Ministry of Health also warns of the risk of clean water shortage and outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and typhoid in the dry season.
Health agencies guide people to prioritize using drilled well water, dug well water; if using water from ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, it is necessary to treat it with simple measures such as filtering with clean cloth, using alum made in water and disinfecting with Chloramine B or boiling it before use.
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that only drinking water should be used directly after being thoroughly boiled; and at the same time reminds people not to eat raw vegetables and wash them with unsanitary water.
