*Update*: India's heatwave: emergency rooms overwhelmed, two further heatwaves expected

The situation in India is deteriorating further. Reuters reports that numerous regions are recording temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius – a figure that is extraordinary even for the Indian summer. Over 40 districts are affected by the ongoing heatwave, and public life has come to a standstill in many places.

Emergency rooms at capacity

Particularly alarming is the situation in emergency rooms. Doctors are seeing patients around the clock with severe complications from prolonged heat exposure – including heat stroke, organ failure and loss of consciousness, according to Público. The cases are significantly more serious than in previous heat phases, medical professionals from several cities report.

There is no end in sight: the meteorological service is forecasting two to three further heatwaves for the current month, according to Liverpool Echo. This significantly increases pressure on the health system, schools and infrastructure.

Vulnerable groups particularly at risk

Special attention is being paid to vulnerable groups. A large-scale study analysing 36.6 million summer births in Europe shows, according to wattsupwiththat.com, a clear link between heat exposure and increased premature birth risk. Although the study focuses on Europe, it underscores what obstetricians in India have been observing for some time: extreme heat disproportionately endangers pregnant women and their unborn children.

In parallel, climate researchers are warning, according to Bloomberg, of an increase in misinformation surrounding heatwaves on social networks – a phenomenon that undermines public health authority prevention messages and, in the worst case, costs lives. Experts are calling for faster fact-checking and more coordinated communication from authorities.