Mobilized for Patient Emergency Treatment
Over 43 Degrees Celsius for 25 Days
In the United States, suffering from unprecedented heatwaves, 'body bags' have reportedly been deployed to assist patients with heat-related illnesses. Originally developed to prevent the decomposition of corpses, body bags filled with ice are now being used as an alternative due to the surge in heatstroke patients.
According to CNN and other local media on the 24th (local time), the southwestern United States, including Arizona, is experiencing deadly scorching heat. The temperature in Phoenix, Arizona, reached 46.6 degrees Celsius that day. Temperatures exceeding 43 degrees Celsius have persisted for about 25 days, marking the longest duration in recorded history.
Several cities are reported to be nearing 40 degrees Celsius, including Kansas City in central Texas, St. Louis, and northeastern regions such as Washington DC and Philadelphia.
Casualties due to the heatwave are also rapidly increasing. At popular tourist destinations in the southwestern US, such as Death Valley National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Valley of Fire State Park, at least seven people have died from heat-related illnesses. Most of these individuals collapsed while hiking, showing symptoms of heatstroke.
At the Arizona Burn Center, about 200 burn patients are receiving treatment, with 45 of them hospitalized. Local medical staff stated, "While there are usually somewhat more burn patients in summer, this year has far exceeded expectations due to the prolonged heatwave," adding, "Staying on hot surfaces can cause burns within 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes severe enough to require skin grafts."
Meanwhile, body bags for emergency treatment of heatstroke patients have also been deployed. These body bags are filled with ice to lower temperature and were originally used as transport tools to prevent decomposition of corpses. Heatstroke patients are placed inside the bags to cool down briefly before being transported to hospitals.
CNN reported that heatstroke patients were originally treated using bathtubs filled with ice, but this summer, due to the surge in patients, body bags have been utilized. Hospitals explained that body bags cool the body twice as fast as the previous method, effectively treating heatstroke patients.
Meanwhile, the United States is not the only country suffering from abnormal high temperatures. Southern Europe has also been pushed into a state of emergency due to unprecedented heatwaves. The Acropolis in Greece, which attracts tourists every summer vacation season, was temporarily closed as daytime temperatures consistently hovered around 40 degrees Celsius. Additionally, southern European countries such as Italy and Spain are currently under red heatwave alerts.
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