Hotter than Hawaii! Limerick hits 30°C as babies among worst hit by heatwave

BABIES and the elderly have been among the worst hit by the rare heatwave that has descended on Limerick this week.

Since Saturday, temperatures have climbed from 25 degrees to 30 degrees.  The hottest is yet to come as the mercury is expected to peak at 31 or 32 degrees this Friday.

Limerick is already hotter than Hawaii, which was 26 degrees on Wednesday. 

And health professionals are urging the public to exercise caution as there have been a number of people suffering from injuries as a result of scorching weather.

The Limerick Leader has learned that clinics in the city have treated a number of babies with heat rashes and a number of elderly men and women with swollen ankles.

On Tuesday night, the Shannondoc service treated a number of elderly people with low blood pressure and one woman who presented with an allergic reaction to an insect bite.

This Wednesday, a sunstroke patient was treated in the Shannon region.

Dr Jason McMahon, of Treaty Medical Centre, on Ennis Road, is urging people to wear Factor-50 sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection, and to drink plenty of water.