PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — The heat is severe in over a dozen counties in the state right now, and health officials are saying that residents in those parts need to stay conscious of how much exposure they are getting to it.
A heat advisory remains in effect for 15 counties across the Kanawha and Ohio valleys, including Boone, Cabell, Calhoun, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Putnam, Ritchie, Roane, Wayne, Wirt and Wood counties until 8 p.m. Thursday night.
The National Weather Service said people in those areas could expect to experience heat indexes of up to 104 degrees, and it isn’t expected to cool down by much in the days ahead with temperatures maintaining the over 90-degree mark.
Public Information Officer for the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, Amy Phelps told MetroNews that to help beat the negative impacts caused by this extreme heat, it’s important to stay cool and stay in the AC as much as possible.
She said being outdoors, it’s crucial to keep out of the direct sun and remain conscientious of the heat.
“If you’re outside, you will want to stay in the shade as much as possible, take as many breaks as you can, and if you’re going to do outdoor activities, try to do it in the coolest parts of the day or in the evening,” Phelps said.
Phelps said that being out in these severely hot temps for an extended period of time can be a danger on your health as it can cause heat exhaustion and heat strokes.
She said to pay attention to the warning signs.
“If you’re having muscle cramping or unusually heavy sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, nausea, weakness, that kind of thing, you’ll want to try to get inside as soon as possible, maybe use cool compresses to try to get your body temperature down,” she said.
Phelps said it would also be best to contact your local healthcare provider to see if you need to go to the emergency room if you’re experiencing these symptoms.
She said like in the case right now where the heat index is up above the 100-degree mark, that’s when people can become more susceptible to heat exhaustion.
Phelps said it’s important that everyone stays out of the heat the best they can, especially for those who are homeless or those with limited resources, finding cool public spaces to go to is critical.
“If you don’t have access to air conditioning, which, you know, a lot of people don’t, you might want to look for more public buildings or whatever that are either offering cooling stations or are just public facing that you can go and sit in just for a little bit to try and cool off,” Phelps said.
Cities have typically been offering cooling stations this summer when temperatures reach the 90s.
Phelps added that it’s important people drink plenty of water and limit their consumption of caffeinated or alcoholic beverages that contain a lot of sugar.