Medical staff have been asked to work extra shifts at Mater Dei emergency department as the number of people suffering heat-related conditions has been above the norm in the past days.
Many of the patients suffering from hyperthermia – abnormally high body temperature – are elderly residents, some of whom said they had also experienced power cuts in the past days, preventing them from using fans and air-conditioners.
The emergency department at the hospital has been inundated with cases in the past few days, in spite of a drop in temperature as from Wednesday.
The sources said that the number of patients referred to intensive care because of heat-related conditions has also increased, limiting the number of beds available for other patients.
On Tuesday, the government said that Mater Dei Hospital is experiencing a much higher than normal influx of people seeking emergency services as a result of the heat over the past days.
“In order to ensure the highest level of care for patients, the hospital’s administration decided to postpone a number of non-urgent elective operations that were scheduled for Thursday (today) and the following days.”
Patients affected will be given new appointments, the government said.
So far, four heat-related deaths have been confirmed by the Health Ministry, but it is believed that the number could be much higher than that.