Maharashtra heatstroke cases soar to 229 since March 1

Pune: Maharashtra has registered 229 heatstroke cases between March 1 and May 7, state health department data shows. The state has also reported two confirmed and three suspected heatstroke deaths during this period.Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has reported the highest number of cases at 79, followed by Nandurbar (29). Other severely affected districts include Nashik (19), Amravati (12), Buldhana (11), Gadchiroli (8), Akola (7), and six cases each in Ahilyanagar, Ratnagiri, Wardha and Yavatmal.State epidemiologist Dr Raju Sule said temperatures crossing 40°C in several districts on multiple occasions this year have contributed to the surge. "We have reported 229 heatstroke cases till Thursday. This year, the temperatures have crossed over 40°C in many districts on multiple occasions," he said.Among fatalities, one confirmed heatstroke death was reported from Nilanga taluka in Latur, involving a 60-year-old farmer who died in the third week of April. Another confirmed death was of a 34-year-old fruit vendor in Jalgaon on May 1, the civil surgeon had confirmed. Three suspected heatstroke deaths were reported from Ahilyanagar and one was from Solapur.