Extreme heat has a major impact on Quebec’s health-care system, says a report published by the National Institute for Scientific Research Wednesday that sheds light on various mortality and morbidity statistics in the province. The INRS findings say high temperatures during the months of May to September in Quebec cause an estimated 470 deaths per year and 225 hospitalizations. As for ER visits, 36,000 of them were heat-related, along with 7,200 ambulance trips.
The province’s 811 Info-Santé health line also deals with a surge in calls, reporting 15,000 temperature-related calls. 2:08 Dangerous heat dome hits parts of Canada, U.S.
Extreme heat waves are defined as high temperatures that have a statistically significant effect on health and last at least three consecutive days. Story continues below advertisement The report says the burden on the health-care system falls on five per cent of the hottest days during the May to September window. An estimated 200 deaths, 170 hospitalizations, 6,200 ER visits, 1,500 ambulance trips and 3,300 calls to Info-Santé are due to the heat during that time period.
The latest health and medical news emailed to you every Sunday. “Knowing that extreme heat will be amplified by climate change , our team hopes that these results will lead to more action to better protect the Quebec population against the effects of heat,” wrote the report’s author, Jérémie Boudreault. “Severe heat also generates direct costs for our system, w.
