ER Visits ‘Extremely High’ In PA During Heat Wave: CDC Data

PENNSYLVANIA — Heat-related visits to emergency rooms were up during the current heat wave that brought sweltering temperatures to the state last week, according to federal health data.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention heat health tracker data, which was updated Saturday, shows “extremely high” rates of heat-related illnesses across large swaths of Pennsylvania.

The data, based on a scale of per 100,000 visits, showed emergency room visits that exceeded the 95th percentile of what is typical.

In Pennsylvania, emergency room visits went from 290 per 100,000 residents on June 17 to 1,150 on Saturday.

The story was much the same across much of New England, the Midwest, the Rockies and the Mid-Atlantic states as the unusually early heat wave broke records. Relief is expected in the coming days in most of those areas later in the week, but Monday’s heat risk will be moderate, according to the CDC data.

For the rest of the week, the CDC said the heat risk will be minor to moderate over the weekend.

An excessive heat wave was in effect for most of the state last week due to temperatures where the heat index went over 100 degrees.

The National Weather Service said most of the areas hardest hit by the heat wave will begin to see relief Monday, but stifling conditions will continue in the Southeast and Southern Plains.

In Pennsylvania, temperatures will stay in the 90s, but won't be as excessive as the past week, forecasters said.

In the United States, extreme heat kills more people than hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters. More than 2,300 Americans died of heat-related illnesses last year, the most in 45 years of record-keeping, according to the CDC. That’s up from about 1,700 heat-related deaths in 2022 and 1,600 in 2021.

People become ill from the heat when their bodies can’t naturally cool off due to a combination of factors, including high humidity. When the humidity is high, sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly and keeps the body from releasing heat as fast as it may need.

Personal factors such as age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use all can affect the ability of the body to naturally cool off.

To avoid heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion, health officials advise people to limit time outdoors if possible during the heat of the day, and be sure to drink plenty of water and wear loose-fitting clothes and a hat.