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The Department of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, through the General Directorate of Public Health, issues health risk warnings due to the forecast of high temperatures in the coming days in Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, La Palma and El Hierro, it indicates in a statement. In the case of La Palma, the warning is yellow and affects Santa Cruz de La Palma and El Paso from August 17 to 20.

To assign risk levels, he explains, an algorithm has been established that includes the maximum temperatures expected, threshold temperatures and risk factors of the 13 ‘meteosalud’ zones that have been created in the Canary Islands to monitor temperatures. The areas affected by the increase are municipalities that belong to the South, East and West of Gran Canaria (34 ºC) and the summit area of ​​Gran Canaria (33 ºC), the metropolitan area, north and south of Tenerife, and areas of Fuerteventura and El Hierro.

GRAN CANARIA

• Red notice: from August 17 to 20 in Tejeda, Santa Lucia de Tirajana and San Bartolome de Tirajana.

• Orange notice: from 17 to 20 August in Artenara, Mogán and Vega de San Mateo.

• Yellow notice: from August 17 to 20 in Agüimes and Santa Brígida, from August 18 in Valsequillo and from August 19 in Valleseco.

TENERIFE

• Orange notice: from August 16 to 20 in Candelaria.

• Yellow notice: from 16 August in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and from 19 August in La Orotava, San Miguel de Abona and Vilaflor. The situation is expected to last at least until 20 August.

FUERTEVENTURA

• Yellow notice: from August 19 in Pájara and is expected to last until at least August 20.

THE PALM

• Yellow notice: from August 17 to 20 in El Paso and Santa Cruz de La Palma.

THE IRON

• Yellow notice: from August 16 to 20 in El Pinar.

The Directorate General of Public Health, the note states, has established an epidemiological surveillance system for the impact of high temperatures on the health of the population, coordinated with the health and emergency centres of the Canary Islands, as well as notifying these centres and the affected municipalities of the forecast of alert situations. Public Health also provides information to the media aimed at providing useful advice and practical measures to prevent the effects of exposure to high temperatures.

Temperature thresholds and ‘meteosalud’ zones in the Canary Islands

On June 17, he adds, the new alert system was activated in thirteen ‘meteozones’ in the Canary Islands. These areas are determined by the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) for the purposes of weather prediction with similar climatologies of adverse meteorological phenomena (FMA) and, therefore, can be considered homogeneous areas of territory from a climatological point of view in terms of the behavior of daily temperatures.

The ‘meteosalud’ zones in the Canary Islands with their corresponding temperature thresholds whose exceedance can trigger risk warnings are the following:

· On the island of Tenerife: metropolitan area (31º C), North zone (32º C) and South, East and West zones (34º C).

· On the island of Gran Canaria: North Zone – capital (32º C), Cumbres de Gran Canaria (33º C), and South, East and West Zone (34º C).

· On the Island of La Palma: Peaks of La Palma (35º C), East Zone (30º C) and West Zone (35º C).

· The remaining areas coincide with the island territory of: Lanzarote (34º C), Fuerteventura (34º C), La Gomera (33º C) and El Hierro (31º C).

Risk levels

The criteria for assigning health risk levels for situations of excessive temperature, determined by the Ministry of Health, is based on a decision algorithm, he added.

Based on this algorithm, the note indicates, based on the maximum temperatures expected, the established threshold, the number of days of persistence, which is specified at a minimum of three, and the risk factors of each territory, four levels of risk are determined:

◦ Level 0 (green), no risk.

◦ Level 1 (yellow), low risk.

◦ Level 2 (orange), medium risk.

◦ Level 3 (red), high risk.

Recommendations for high temperatures

Vulnerability to high temperatures, he explains, includes personal risk factors: being over 65 years old, breastfeeding, pregnant, etc.; environmental, local (homeless people, athletes, especially hikers) and work-related, among others. The recommendations directed to the vulnerable population in particular are:

· Stay in cool, shaded or air-conditioned places as much as possible and cool down whenever necessary.

· Reduce physical activity and avoid outdoor sports during the central hours of the day.

· Drink water or liquids frequently, even if you do not feel thirsty and regardless of the physical activity you do.

· Avoid caffeinated, alcoholic or sugary drinks, as they can cause dehydration.

· Pay special attention to: infants, children, pregnant or nursing women, and the elderly or people with illnesses that may be aggravated by heat (such as heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cancer, pathologies that impair mobility, dementia and other mental illnesses, as well as drug or alcohol abuse). Although anyone can suffer from a heat-related problem.

· Wear light, loose, breathable clothing.

· Do not leave anyone in a parked and closed vehicle (especially minors, the elderly, or people with chronic illnesses).

· Consult a health professional if symptoms persist for more than an hour and may be related to high temperatures.

· Eat light meals that help replace salts lost through sweat (salads, fruits, vegetables, juices, etc.).

· Keep medicines in a cool place; heat can alter their composition and effects.