Bhubaneswar: Odisha reported 350 suspected heatstroke cases and one confirmed death between March and June this year, ranking third among Indian states in heat-related illnesses, according to data obtained by PTI under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Nationwide, India recorded 7,192 suspected cases and 14 confirmed deaths due to extreme heat during the March 1 to June 24 period, data from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) revealed.
Andhra Pradesh accounted for more than half of the total suspected cases with 4,055, followed by Rajasthan (373), Odisha (350), Telangana (348), and Madhya Pradesh (297). Despite the high number of suspected cases, Odisha reported just one confirmed death—on par with Telangana, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Experts caution that the actual toll may be significantly higher due to underreporting and data collection challenges. The NCDC’s surveillance relies heavily on hospital records under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), meaning many deaths that occur outside hospitals or are misclassified may not be counted.
“Surveillance systems capture only a fraction of actual cases,” a senior Health Ministry official told PTI. “Even if deaths occur, they may not be properly classified as heat-related,” he added.
PNN & Agencies
