The thermometer shows a very hot temperature.

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Doctors Warn Extreme Heat Can Cause Organ Failure

healthJun 25, 2026·364 words·3 min read

As Britain braced for one of its hottest spells on record in June 2026, doctors issued urgent warnings about what extreme heat does to the human body. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) took the rare step of issuing a red heat alert for parts of England — only the second ever, after 2022 — signalling a genuine threat to life. With temperatures forecast to reach the high 30s Celsius, the Met Office (Britain's national weather service) warned that soaring heat endangers not only older and vulnerable people but also healthy adults and children.

The body tries to stay near 37°C. When the air gets hotter, blood vessels open wider, and sweat cools the body. But this lowers blood pressure, makes the heart work harder, and takes away water and salt. This can cause heat exhaustion, with dizziness, sickness and confusion. If a person is not cooled in about 30 minutes, it can become heat stroke. Then body temperature goes above 40°C, and the heat damages every organ.

Heat stroke can be deadly. It can cause organ failure, coma and death in minutes. Heat already kills many people. England had about 2,985 extra deaths in the summer of 2022. Most heat deaths come from heart attacks and strokes. Old people, babies, and sick people are most at risk. Doctors say people should stay inside during the hottest hours, drink water, and cool anyone who feels ill.

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