THREE people have presented to hospitals with heat-related health conditions in the Wimmera since Christmas Eve.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Wimmera has sweltered through more than four days above 40 degrees in December, with the mercury forecast to peak beyond 40 on Friday.
The Department of Health and Human Services said extreme heat or heatwaves could negatively affect human health.
"Everyone understands that extreme heat can affect their health, however there are certain people at higher risk, such as people 65 years and over, young children and babies, and people with a pre-existing medical condition," the statement said.
The department has identified heat health temperature thresholds for Victoria, above which heat-related illness and death increases substantially.
The threshold is calculated by taking the average of the forecast daily maximum temperature and the forecast overnight temperature.
The heat health temperature threshold for the Wimmera is 32 degrees. The weekly mean maximum temperature for Horsham in the week ending December 30 was 39 degrees.
A spokesman from Wimmera Health Care Group said the Wimmera Base Hospital had treated two patients for heat-related health conditions since December 24.
"A couple of older people presented for dehydration in the period after Christmas Eve," he said.
West Wimmera Health Services chief executive Ritchie Dodds said one patient had presented to hospital with heat-related health issues on December 28.
He said people in the region were welcome to seek refuge in the air-conditioning of the West Wimmera Health Facilities.
"We have spaces in Goroke, Jeparit, Kaniva, Natimuk, Nhill and Rainbow," Mr Dodds said.
Edenhope District and Memorial Hospital chief executive Andrew Saunders said the Meals on Wheels volunteers had lots of processes to ensure clients were safe and healthy during heatwaves.
"Volunteers check in with clients to make sure they have water, their blinds are closed, that they are wearing loose, light clothing and that their cooling system is on," he said.
Rural Northwest Health chief executive Kevin Mills said he was not aware of any people presenting to the Warracknabeal hospital with heat-related health conditions.
He said the organisation regularly checked in on vulnerable clients in the community during periods with extreme temperatures.
While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox twice weekly from the Wimmera Mail-Times. To make sure you're up-to-date with all the news from across the Wimmera, sign up below.
Eliza Berlage
Eliza Berlage made the move to Horsham to report for the Wimmera Mail-Times in October 2019. Originally from Sydney, she has a sociology background and spent two years working in the press gallery in Canberra.
Eliza Berlage made the move to Horsham to report for the Wimmera Mail-Times in October 2019. Originally from Sydney, she has a sociology background and spent two years working in the press gallery in Canberra.
