Heat wave advice

Following the announcement, Thursday morning, that the number of deaths related to the intense heat over the last few days has climbed to seven in the Estrie Region, The City of Sherbrooke put out a call to its population to check in on their neighbours. In particular, the call went out to landlords of larger apartment complexes to check in on their more vulnerable tenants and see how they are handling the heat.

According to Doctor Mélissa Généreux, Director of Public Health with the CIUSSS de L’ESTRIE-CHUS, the regional health and social services establishment, similar appeals have been made by a range of local municipalities.

“As of this morning we have approximately 40 cases of health issues related to the heat,” Doctor Généreux said. “This could be things that are fairly benign right up to death.”

The public health director said that that number is a conservative estimate based on the fact that information is coming in from a number of overlapping sources. She added, however, that there are seven deaths included in that 40 so far, all of which

happened in the community, not in a hospital or a long term care home.

“There have been no children,” Généreux clarified. “They are all middle aged adults or older.”

The public health director said that all of the deaths fit, “the classic risk factor profile,” of either being elderly or having some form of chronic illness that made them more vulnerable to the heat. In light of that information, she welcomed the initiative of local communities to encourage check-ins.

In situations of high heat and humidity, the public is reminded to remain hydrated, find ways to stay cool, and reduce the amount of physical work being done. If you or a loved one begin to feel unwell, you are encouraged to find a cool environment and call 811 before symptoms become too severe.