TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The cold front gripping Taiwan over the past three days has led to 134 incidents of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) requiring hospitalization, according to National Fire Agency data.
Firefighters and police said to pay attention to the elderly and the infirm. Cold exposure can raise blood viscosity and lead to clot formation due to increased red blood cell count and plasma cholesterol, per TVBS.
The public is urged to keep warm, especially Wednesday morning as lows in five counties and cities will drop to 10 C.
Temperatures could dip below 10 C in Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, and Nantou. The Central Weather Administration said radiative cooling might lead to even lower temperatures.
The National Fire Agency said 38 people were sent to the hospital with OHCA on Dec. 14. Another 55 people were sent on Dec. 15, and another 41 on Dec.16.
The high number of people suffering from non-traumatic OHCA is a warning that cold weather is a serious medical risk.