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Amber alerts for heatwave
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) escalated heat-health alerts to amber as a third UK heatwave of the year approached, with the amber alert in place from 9am on Wednesday, 8 July until 9pm on Sunday, 12 July.
The Manchester Evening News said the existing yellow heat-health alert for all parts of the country would be escalated to amber, while the yellow alert would remain in place until Wednesday morning.
The Met Office forecast temperatures approaching the low 30s next week with a peak of 34C on Thursday (9 July) in the South East, as the UK braces for sustained warm weather.
In the same period, the BBC said temperatures could exceed 30C for up to 10 consecutive days as the third heatwave of the year gets underway, with amber heat-health alerts issued for the Midlands, eastern and southern England from 09:00 BST on 8 July to 21:00 BST on 12 July.
Who is at risk
UKHSA head of Extreme Events and Health Protection Dr Agostinho Sousa said, "Sustained periods of warm weather can result in serious negative health outcomes across the population," and urged sensible precautions while people enjoy the sun.
Dr Sousa added that based on the current forecast, "we don’t currently expect the health impacts to be as high as the heatwave we saw at the end of June," while warning older adults and those with pre-existing conditions are still at risk.
The BBC said significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.
The Guardian reported that within the warning area, high temperatures were likely to have minor impacts on health and social care services, including increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people and a greater risk to life to the same group.
Water bans and records
Alongside the health alerts, Southern Water issued a hosepipe pan from 10 July in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, and the Guardian detailed that the ban stops customers using a hosepipe for non-essential activities including watering gardens and washing cars, patios or windows.
The i Paper said Southern Water issued the hosepipe ban from 10 July in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, while South East Water’s temporary hosepipe ban for people in Kent came into force on Friday.
The Guardian tied the new warning to the heatwave last week, when the Met Office issued a rare red warning for extreme heat for parts of the country and the UKHSA put red heat health alerts in place.
Both the Guardian and the i Paper pointed to the June heatwave record of 37.7°C in the UK, with the i Paper saying June’s heatwave saw record-breaking temperatures of 37.7°C in the UK and the Guardian adding that it beats the previous June record for the UK of 35.6°C dating back to 1976 by more than 2C.
