A construction worker died of a suspected heat stroke in Chennai on Sunday.
A labourer aged 35 and another aged 25, suffered heat strokes and were brought to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai on Sunday. The 25-year-old worker, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, died while being transported from a private medical college in Poonamallee and was “brought dead”, according to the RGGGH Dean, Dr. E. Theranirajan.
“He had been working in Kancheepuram. On Saturday, he became sick and fell unconscious. So, he was taken to a private medical college hospital and intubated and was later transferred to our hospital. But, he died on the way,” the Dean explained.
The other patient, Velu, a native of Villupuram district and a resident of Poonamallee, “regularly passes through the Minjur bypass and works in laying roads. When he developed heat cramps, he was given some tablets as it was initially diagnosed as just a headache. Later, he was taken to a private hospital from where he was transferred to our hospital as he could not pay for the treatment there. Our investigations revealed that his CPK MB enzyme (creatine phosphokinase-MB), an enzyme found in the muscles had been higher than normal. The enzyme levels rise when muscles break due to cramps,” Dr. Theranirajan said.
“Since some of his organs like liver and kidneys had been damaged, we transferred him to the intensive care unit. Now, his condition is stable,” the Dean added.
“We urge employers to not let construction workers labour under the hot sun from 11 a.m. To 4 p.m. They could extend their work timing till 7 p.m. as the sun sets late in summer,” he said.
