New Delhi, May 1: Amid increasing global warming and heat-related deaths worldwide, a new study has shown that expanding urban vegetation cover by 30 per cent could save over one-third of all deaths caused due to heat, saving up to 1.16 million lives globally.

Researchers from Monash University in Australia showed that increasing vegetation levels by 10 per cent, 20 per cent, and 30 per cent would decrease the global population-weighted warm-season mean temperature by 0.08 degrees Celsius, 0.14 degrees Celsius, and 0.19 degrees Celsius, respectively.

It can also prevent 0.86, 1.02, and 1.16 million deaths, respectively.

While increasing greenness has been proposed as a heat-related death mitigation strategy, “this is the first modelling study to estimate both the cooling and modifying effects of greenness, providing a more comprehensive assessment of its benefits in mitigating heat-related mortality,” said Professor Yuming Guo from the varsity.

The findings, published in the journal The Lancet Planetary Health, are based on a 20-year modelling study of the impact of increasing greenness in more than 11,000 urban areas from 2000 to 2019.

Urban areas in Southern Asia, Eastern Europe, and Eastern Asia were found to have the greatest reduction in heat-related deaths.

“These findings indicate that preserving and expanding greenness might be potential strategies to lower temperature and mitigate the health impacts of heat exposure,” Guo said.

Heat exposure is a major public health threat and is increasing due to climate change. Between 2000-2019, heat exposure was associated with 0.5 million deaths per year, accounting for 0.91 per cent of global mortality.

According to Guo, estimates of heat-related deaths are projected to range from 2.5 per cent in North Europe to 16.7 per cent in South-East Asia during 2090-99, “under the most extreme global warming scenarios.”

Studies show that greenness has a cooling effect on temperature, via shading surfaces, deflecting radiation from the sun, and evapotranspiration (evaporation from both the ground and plants) which promotes air convection.

This, in turn, cools the ambient temperature leading to a decrease in population heat exposure, thereby reducing the heat-related mortality burden.

In addition, greenness could also modify other related factors such as mental health, social engagement, physical activity, and air pollution, the researchers said.

Sydney, April 17: A person has died and 12 others have been infected after contracting Legionnaires’ disease in an outbreak linked to central Sydney, the Department of Health in the Australian state of New South Wales said on Thursday.

There are now 12 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease in people who spent time in central Sydney between March 13 and April 5, up from the six cases that had been diagnosed as of April 10, the department said.

It said that one of the confirmed cases died in the hospital. Of the 12 reported cases, 11 have been hospitalised for treatment.

NSW Health on Thursday urged anyone who spent time in central Sydney and surrounding areas in late March or early April to be aware of symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, including fever, chills, a cough and shortness of breath.

Legionnaires’ disease is a form of pneumonia caused by infection with Legionella bacteria, which is found naturally in fresh water. NSW Health said that symptoms can develop up to 10 days after exposure, Xinhua news agency reported.

“Outbreaks sometimes occur when bacteria from environmental sources such as cooling towers atop large buildings become contaminated,” Vicky Sheppeard, director of the southeast Sydney local public health unit, said in a statement.

“NSW Health continues to work closely with the City of Sydney to identify, inspect and sample any cooling towers in the CBD potentially implicated in the outbreak. To date, over 165 cooling towers have been inspected and tested,” she said.

According to the World Health Organisation, the Legionnaires’ disease mortality rate can be as high as 80 per cent in untreated immunosuppressed patients.

Most people catch Legionnaires’ disease by inhaling the bacteria from water or soil. Older adults, smokers, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to Legionnaires’ disease.

Although Legionnaires’ disease primarily affects the lungs, it occasionally can cause infections in wounds and in other parts of the body, including the heart.

A mild form of Legionnaires’ disease — known as Pontiac fever — can produce fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. Pontiac fever doesn’t infect your lungs, and symptoms usually clear within two to five days.

Mumbai: A 73-year-old Andheri resident, Steven Fernandes, suffered a fatal heart attack in the early hours of Thursday as his family struggled to arrange an ambulance in time. Despite living just five minutes from a private hospital and 20 minutes from the civic-run Dr. R.N. Cooper Hospital, critical minutes were lost due to an unresponsive emergency service and delays from a private ambulance.

“At 2 am, my husband and I were frantically calling every number we could find for an ambulance,” Mohua Gupta, Fernandes’ daughter-in-law, told media. Their first attempt was to dial 108, the state emergency response service, but the call either didn’t go through or connected to 103, the police helpline. With no help forthcoming, the family turned to an online search, which led them to a private ambulance vendor from Andheri East.

Relief Turns Into Distress Due To Ambulance Delay

Relieved that someone had agreed to come, the family focused on Fernandes, who lay unconscious. Moving him without assistance was impossible, as he weighed over 100 kg. However, their relief turned to distress when the private ambulance took over 40 minutes to arrive, despite the lack of traffic at that hour.

Upon arrival, the ambulance lacked essential medical equipment. “There was only a driver and a helper, no paramedic, no physician, not even a stretcher. Just a rubber mat for him to lie on,” Gupta told media. There was also no oxygen supply or masks, which are critical for cardiac emergencies.

Adding to their frustration, before even shifting the patient, the ambulance service sent a text message demanding Rs 5,500 for the trip. “We were shocked. After protesting, they reduced the charge to Rs 2,500, but we had no choice but to pay,” she recalled.

Patient Passed Away Before Reaching Hospital

Shortly after the private ambulance left, the family dialed 108 again. This time, the call was diverted to Cooper Hospital, and an official ambulance was dispatched. However, it took another 30 minutes to arrive. By then, the crucial Golden Hour, the first 60 minutes after a heart attack, when timely medical intervention can be life-saving, had passed. Fernandes’ pulse had flatlined by the time he reached the hospital.