Quintana Roo Reports 50 Heat-Related Illnesses and 4 Deaths

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Quintana Roo has recorded 50 heat-related illnesses and four deaths this season, a 25% increase compared with the same period last year, according to Mexico’s federal Health Ministry.

The National Weather Service, part of the National Water Commission (Conagua), is forecasting hot to very hot afternoons in the coming days, with temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius and a heat index that could reach 45 degrees.

“The heat is unbearable, especially with the power outages. Some nights you can’t get any rest,” said Clara Benavente, a resident of Cancún’s Region 260.

Of the 50 cases reported in Quintana Roo, 33 were heat stroke, nine were dehydration, and eight were burns, according to state health officials. The cases represent about 2.5% of all heat-related illnesses reported nationally.

The most recent update, covering the epidemiological week that ended Aug. 26, shows 1,977 heat-related cases and 108 deaths nationwide, a fatality rate of 5.46%. Of those deaths, 103 were attributed to heat stroke. Quintana Roo and Chiapas are tied for fourth place nationally, with four deaths each, accounting for 3.7% of all heat-stroke deaths in the country.

Heat-stroke deaths by state: Baja California, 37; Sonora, 21; Veracruz, 8; Chiapas, 4; Quintana Roo, 4; Sinaloa, 4; Baja California Sur, 3; Nayarit, 3; Tabasco, 3; Tamaulipas, 3; Campeche, 2; Chihuahua, 2; Guerrero, 2; Oaxaca, 2; Jalisco, 1; Nuevo León, 1; Querétaro, 1; San Luis Potosí, 1; and Yucatán, 1. The remaining five deaths were from dehydration: three in Baja California, one in Sonora, and one in Tabasco.

Municipal health authorities in Benito Juárez, where Cancún is located, urged residents to take extra precautions, especially children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease.