Montreal public health asking ER doctors to report all heat-related deaths

Montreal’s public health department is asking emergency room doctors to report all deaths suspected of being related to the ongoing heat wave.

Officials issued a notice on Sunday for the city’s ER doctors to contact the department within 24 hours of a death that could be linked to heat.

The department is also asking ERs to report all cases of patients with symptoms of heat stroke.

Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for Montreal, where temperatures are forecast to reach as high as 34 C for the next two days, and begin to improve Wednesday.

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Montreal health officials say there is a significant risk of a rise in deaths, particularly among people with chronic health problems, during periods of extreme heat.

Health officials say that in 2018 a major heat wave in Montreal led to the deaths of 66 people, 26 per cent of whom had schizophrenia.