IPOH: A total of 11 cases of heat-related illness have been reported in Perak this year, involving seven cases of heat exhaustion and four cases of heatstroke.
State Human Resources, Health, National Integration, and Indian Community Affairs Committee chairman A. Sivanesan said the cases were recorded in the districts of Kinta, Batang Padang, and Hulu Perak.
Sivanesan said that the first five cases involved policemen who participated in an Endurance Test at the Ulu Kinta General Operations Force (GOF) on Feb 14.
"A total of 600 policemen were involved in this physical activity, which included a 20km running track and carrying a load of 12kg.
"Three cases were diagnosed as heat exhaustion, while two were identified as heatstroke," he said in a statement today.
On the sixth case, Sivanesan said it also involved a GOF officer who suffered from heatstroke while participating in the Combat Run activity on Feb 18.
"The seventh case involved a Royal Malaysian Air Force officer who suffered from heat exhaustion while jogging and carrying a load of 10kg on Feb 22.
"The eighth case involved a housewife from Hulu Perak who suffered from heat exhaustion while gardening on March 25," he said.
He added that the ninth case also involved a policeman from Ulu Kinta GOF who suffered from heatstroke and multiple organ failure during a 6km cross-country race on May 30.
"However, the policeman later died. The 10th case also involved a policeman from the same camp who suffered from heat exhaustion during the Endurance Test on June 8.
"The 11th case involved a labourer who suffered from heat exhaustion while working on tar road paving on June 10," he said.
Sivanesan said the cause of heatstroke and heat exhaustion in all these cases was physical activity outdoors during extremely hot weather conditions.
Since most cases involved policemen, Sivanesan said the Perak Health Department had directed that activities should not be conducted under direct sunlight (between 10am and 4pm).
"They are also advised to check temperatures on the METMalaysia website before conducting outdoor activities," he added.