UAE doctors set out health rules to beat problems caused by summer heat

Store food in low temperatures and drink plenty of water during the hot weather

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, 10 MAY 2017. Standalone photo. As summer temperatures rise visibility drops in the UAE as seen in the dusty sunset over Al Barsha Heights and the Greens. Today saw a heat index of 41 degrees with humidity of 60% while visibility was limited to 4km's. (Photo: Antonie Robertson/The National) ID: STANDALONE. Journalist: None. Section: National. *** Local Caption ***  AR_1005_Standalone_Weather-04.JPG
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Doctors are advising the public to store food at low temperatures and drink plenty of water during hot weather.

Warm temperatures and high humidity levels provide an ideal environment for bacterial growth, they said.

Foodborne bacteria grow fastest at between 32°C to 43°C, so prepared food should be stored in low temperatures and consumed within one or two hours.

"Food left out of refrigeration for more than two hours may not be safe," said Dr Yusra Abo Hamed, public health and preventative medicine specialist.

“Bacteria and viruses grow very fast in the hot weather, as their numbers double every 20 minutes, therefore, the chances of getting an infection are higher during summer,” she said.


The head of the emergency facility at Al Sharq hospital in Fujairah said that 40 per cent of summer emergency visitors are children suffering from nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea because of viral or bacterial infections.

"Taking extra precautions can limit the sources of infection, like washing hands properly, eating well-cooked food, avoiding reheated meals and storing food in low temperatures," said Dr Pratap M B.

“We advise people to hydrate during high temperatures and avoid food that can easily spoil, such as cheese and fish,” he said.

Dr Hassan Kazia, an internal medicine specialist at Prime Hospital Dubai, said that lack of water during summer can cause kidney stones.

"It's more common to receive patients suffering kidney stones during summer than any other season because people forget to drink water, which causes dehydration and kidney problems."