Millions of people across England have been placed under a fresh heat health alert as forecasters warn temperatures could climb above 30C over the coming days, raising concerns for vulnerable people.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow heat health alert covering the East Midlands, East of England, South East, South West and London from 12pm on Saturday until 5pm on Wednesday.
Health officials warned that the expected hot weather could increase the risk of serious illness and even death among older people, young children and those with underlying health conditions.
The alert follows last week’s record-breaking heatwave, when parts of the UK experienced some of the hottest June temperatures ever recorded.
The Met Office said temperatures will remain in the low to mid-20s for much of this week before climbing sharply over the weekend.
Forecasters expect many southern parts of England to reach the high 20s, with some areas likely to see temperatures exceed 30C early next week.
The latest spell of hot weather has prompted concerns about increased pressure on health and emergency services.
According to the UKHSA, hospitals, GP surgeries and care services could experience higher demand as vulnerable people become more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.
Officials also warned that the hot weather could lead to an increase in water-related emergencies, including cold water shock and drowning incidents as more people head to beaches, lakes and rivers to cool off.
The latest alert comes just days after Britain experienced one of its hottest June days on record.
The Met Office confirmed a provisional UK June temperature record of 37.7C at Lingwood in Norfolk last Friday.
The figure smashed the previous June record of 35.6C, set in 1976, by more than 2C—an unusually large jump for a national temperature record.
Last week’s extreme conditions prompted the Met Office to issue a rare red warning for extreme heat, while the UKHSA also introduced its highest-level red heat health alerts across parts of England.
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