What happens to the human body when the temperature reaches 50 degree celsius?

• Two weather observatories in Delhi — Mungeshpur and Najafgarh — recorded a temperature of over 49 degree celsius on Sunday.
• While human body cells start to die anywhere 46-60 degrees, temperatures of around 50 degrees is when most irreversible damage to cells starts.
• If the human body is unable to cool itself enough, it leads to heat cramps, heat exhaustion and even heatstroke or sunstroke.
• Birds are at the risk of lethal hyperthermia if environmental temperature exceeds their heat tolerance limits.
• The rise in internal temperatures can lead to seizures in dogs and they may even become unconscious.

Scorching heat has caused menace in the world's second-most populous nation, India. First, it increased demand for electricity that led to a nation-wide power crisis. As that situation seems to be stabilizing, temperatures are rising to another level - inching closer to the dreaded 50 degree celsius.

Two weather observatories in Delhi — Mungeshpur and Najafgarh — recorded a temperature of over 49 degree celsius on Sunday. Meanwhile, the temperature in Gurugram, which falls under Delhi NCR region, was at 48.1 degree celsius. While this is not the first time that temperature in India has peaked at over 49 degrees, it is something to worry about as it can have a great impact on humans and other organisms.

While human body cells start to die anywhere 46-60 degrees celsius, temperatures of around 50 degrees is when most irreversible damage to cells start as the proteins within begin to coagulate.

More sweating and more risk of dehydration as heat wave rises

The average temperature of the body is 36-37.5 degree celsius and it tries to maintain it mainly by sweating. Heavy breathing and increased heart rate also expel heat and help maintain the body temperature.

The human body’s first response to heat is to sweat even more to keep itself cool, which can lead to dehydration as the body loses water. If and when the body is unable to cool itself enough, it leads to heat cramps, heat exhaustion and even heatstroke or sunstroke. Heat stress, acute kidney injury, and worsening heart diseases are also common during heatwaves, Dr Shuchin Bajaj, founder and director of Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, told Business Insider.

According to news agency AFP, more than 6,000 people in India have died due to heatwaves in the last decade. "Every day, we are getting 20-25 such cases and the age-group consists of children to elderly,"Dr R.R. Dutta, HOD- Internal Medicine at Paras Hospitals of Gurugram, said. The waves put blue-collar workers — including farmers, construction workers, delivery people — at greater risk since they are usually working out in the sun.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress.

More heart attacks and cardiac events especially in the elderly

Extreme temperatures of any kind can impact the body’s ability to regulate its internal temperature. This, in turn, can also worsen existing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes-related conditions, according to US-based National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS).

Increased temperature can also cause an imbalance between a high cardiac oxygen demand and a compromised cardiac oxygen delivery, which can lead to cardiac ischaemia, infarction, and ultimately, cardiovascular collapse.

“The elevated cardiovascular strain from heat stress is a primary health concern during heat extremes as more older adults die from cardiovascular events than nearly all other heat-related causes of death combined,” a medical journal published in The Lancet reads.

Birds are prone to lethal dehydration during the heatwave

Birds are at the risk of lethal hyperthermia if environmental temperature exceeds their heat tolerance limits. They are also prone to lethal dehydration if water demands for evaporative cooling exceeds their dehydration tolerance limits, according to a research paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Even dogs are at risk of heat strokes as temperature increases. The rise in internal temperatures can lead to seizures in dogs and they may even become unconscious. Such high temperatures will shut down the internal organs, which can be fatal when a dog, a report by Kansas State University added.

Meanwhile, increased body temperature or heat stress will cause production losses in livestock and impact on their ability to maintain normal function. Therefore, it is suggested to keep livestock in shaded areas with adequate space and water supply.

Fires are more common during heat waves

The unprecedented increase in temperature results in more fire incidents. Last month, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued warnings against increasing fire incidents in jungles, important buildings and hospitals.

Over 500 forest fires have been reported in Himachal Pradesh, damaging 3,575 hectares, in April alone. Then a major fire also broke out in an office and commercial building in the Mundka area of Delhi, India. It killed 27 people and injured forty others, and at least 50 people were rescued.

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