UK weather: Experts issue ‘DEADLY’ asthma attack warning as 37C heatwave sweeps Britain
23 July 2019, 14:19 | Updated: 23 July 2019, 14:20
Record temperatures will hit Britain this week, potentially making it the hottest July on record.
As the temperature is set to soar this week, experts are now warning asthma sufferers of "deadly" attacks in the sun.
Britain could be hit by the hottest July day on record on Thursday, with some places in the south-east set to tip 37C.
But while this will please sun lovers everywhere, this band of humid air brings an increased risk for asthma sufferers, especially those who have hayfever too.
Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical lead at Asthma UK and a practising GP, told Wales Online: “A toxic cocktail of hot humid weather and rising pollen levels this week could be extremely hazardous for the 5.4 million people in the UK with asthma, triggering deadly asthma attacks.
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"Hot air and hay fever can cause people's airways to narrow, leaving them struggling to breathe, with symptoms like coughing, wheezing, a tight chest and breathlessness.”
He added that "hot weather can also increase the amount of pollutants, pollen and mould in the air” which can trigger asthma symptoms.
Those who suffer have been told to take their hay fever medicines and carry their blue reliever inhaler at all times.
Temperatures have already reached 31C in some parts of the country with the number rising even more in the next two days.
And there will be an uncomfortable night ahead, as the Met Office say it could remain as high as 24C (75.2F) tonight for parts of South East England which would be the hottest ever UK night.
By Thursday, it’s expected to reach at least 37C in the south east of England thanks to an ‘African plume’ sweeping the country, this would beat the current July record of 36.7°C which hit Heathrow in 2015.
The all-time UK temperature record of 38.5C was taken in Faversham in August 2003.
