Warning as Hong Kong’s cold snap continues with 10 more treated for hypothermia in hospital – but warmer weather on way at weekend
- Over the past three days, 32 patients were sent to hospital with the condition
Ten more people were treated for hypothermia in Hong Kong on Tuesday, with doctors warning the elderly to beware of the continued cold snap before temperatures warmed up at the weekend.
Over the past three days of chilly weather, a total of 32 patients were sent to hospital with the condition, which occurs when a person’s body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing a dangerously low body temperature. One 90-year-old woman died from it on Sunday.
Wednesday is also forecast to be cold with the temperature ranging between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius, but the mercury is expected to rise over the following two days before reaching 22 degrees at the weekend.
A surge in the number of emergency visits meant patients had to wait for up to eight hours for non-urgent treatment at the busiest hospitals.
A total of 5,550 visits were made to emergency wards on New Year’s Eve, with Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tai seeing the highest volume of patients.