TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A cold wave is thought to be the cause of 11 separate cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Tainan between 8 a.m. Monday (Jan. 22) and 8 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 23).
As the mercury dipped below 10 C, southern Taiwan cities were not accustomed to such low temperatures. Among the 11 deaths from cardiac arrest, four cases were sent to the hospital for treatment, while another seven cases were already declared dead, per ETtoday.
The Tainan City Fire Department said the people who suffered from fatal cardiac arrest were aged 45-92. There were three women and eight men.
Health experts warned that citizens should pay attention to their respiratory and cardiovascular health as temperatures dip. They advised against staying outside in cold environments for too long.
Tainan City Government Fire Bureau Commissioner Lee Ming-feng (李明峯) said another concern is carbon monoxide poisoning, as doors and windows may be tightly shut while using gas stoves and water heaters.
Additionally, the current cold wave coincides with flu season. Citizens should pay attention to good hygiene, such as hand washing and covering their mouths when coughing to prevent the spread of disease.
