Summer health watch summary: 31 July 2014
Published 24 July 2014
© Crown copyright 2014
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summer-health-watch-2014/summer-health-watch-summary-31-july-2014
1. Summary of environmental hazards
1.1 Heatwave
On 16 July 2014 a level 2 heatwave alert (alert and readiness) was issued for the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, East of England and London regions. On 20 July 2014 the heatwave alert level reverted to level 1 (heatwave and summer preparedness programme) for all regions. England has remained at heatwave alert level 1 since.
1.2 Solar UV radiation
The Public Health England (PHE) solar radiation monitoring stations across the UK reported typical peak UV Index values for this time of year. Camborne, Cornwall, experienced the highest UV Index of 7 (high) on 1 clear day (25 July 2014). Swansea (24 and 25 July 2014), Belfast (24 and 25 July 2014), Inverness (25 July 2014) and Lerwick (30 July 2014), all experienced clear days on the indicated dates with a peak UV Index of 5 (moderate). Chilton (Oxfordshire) and London recorded peak UV Index values of 6 (high) for short periods around solar noon (1pm), and Leeds and Glasgow peaked at a UV Index of 5 (moderate).
1.3 Air pollution
Daily information on air quality and measured levels of air pollution across the UK is available from the UK AIR: Air information resource
2. Health impacts
2.1 Syndromic surveillance
Several syndromic surveillance systems have seen increases in heatstroke consultations during week 30, in line with recent warm weather.
2.2 Laboratory surveillance
Gastrointestinal disease activity is around seasonally expected levels. The number of laboratory reports of the major gastrointestinal pathogens (campylobacter, salmonella, cryptosporidium, norovirus) in the season to date are similar to the 5 year seasonal average.
2.3 Mortality surveillance
In weeks 29 and 30 of 2014, no excess all-cause mortality by week of death was seen across the UK through the EuroMOMO algorithm.