CAIRO: A total of 11 people died Thursday in Egypt of the extreme heat wave hitting Egypt this week, according to the Ministry of Health.
Most of the death cases are of elderly people; some 302 have been hospitalized for heat exhaustion; 142 of them left the hospital after treatment.
Before the 11 new cases, the ministry announced Thursday that the death toll of this week’s heat wave has reached 76.
A new scorching heat wave was announced to hit Egypt Friday through Monday. Cairo witnesses a temperature of 37 ᵒC during the day on Friday, while the temperature rises Saturday to 40 ᵒC and then to 42 ᵒC on Sunday.
The current wave is believed to be witnessed every 11 years, as it comes from India and the Arabia Peninsula, according to the ministry.
The Ministry has called upon citizens, especially the elderly and those who suffer chronic diseases to take necessary preventive measures by avoiding direct exposure to the sun and not to leave house except for extreme necessity.
It has also advised citizens to drink large amounts of water, avoid coffee and tea, daily bathing with lukewarm water, avoid poorly ventilated places and wear loose fitting clothes.