Taipei broke another heat record on Monday, with the mercury topping out just before noon at 38.9 degrees Celsius. That’s the hottest July temperature in the books. Health officials are urging people to take precautions and to protect themself from the heat.
While sun umbrellas are a common way to bring relief from the heat, some people say they are more trouble than they’re worth. But health officials say that 1,000 people have reported heat-related illnesses since May, the highest number in four years. And more than three quarters of those cases are men.
Tri-Service General Hospital’s Dr. Chu Pau-ling says most people who work outdoors are men. But few men are willing to carry sun umbrellas. He says that he tried walking around for thirty minutes with an umbrella, and it made a big difference.
Doctors say that carrying a sun umbrella can reduce ultra-violet rays by 95%, reducing the risk of heat-related illnesses.
Dr. Chu is also warning people not to sleep in cars. He says that the temperature in a hot car can rise to 50 degrees Celsius in just half an hour.
With Taipei breaking temperature records this summer, doctors are urging people to stay in the shade, drink more water… and yes, carry a sun umbrella to beat the heat.