Updated amber cold health alert issued for North East with a risk of increased deaths
An updated Cold Health Alert has been issued for the North East with a rise in deaths “likely”.
The amber alert, which covers Sunderland, Newcastle and South Tyneside, was updated today (January 2) and is in place until 10am on January 9.
A spokesperson for the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said: “The forecast weather is likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.
“We may also see impacts on younger age groups. There will also be challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18°C, leading to more risk to vulnerable people.
“There is also likely to be an increase in demand for health services with other sectors such as transport and energy also starting to observe impacts.”
The spokesperson also warned about an increased strain on health services due to the cold weather.
They added: “The weather is likely to impact on temperatures inside places like hospitals, care homes, and clinics dropping below the levels recommended for assessing health risks. There may also be staffing issues due to external factors, such as travel delays.”
The Met Office have also issued a Yellow Weather Warning for snow and ice in the North East. The warning is in place from midnight on Saturday (January 2) until 11.59pm on the same day.