THIRUVANNATHAPURAM: As mercury soars, 37 persons sustained sunburns on Tuesday itself. One person collapsed and died. Among the affected, there is also a four-year-old girl. Though their condition is not severe, all took medical aid from hospital. With this, the total number of people affected by sunstroke has risen to 59.

Meanwhile, there are also anxiety over spread of chickenpox and jaundice.The dead person has been identified as Paravur Kedamangalam Thundippurayil Venu (50). He was a fisherman. On Tuesday morning, he had gone out to the sea but returned home by 1:30. He collapsed and rushed to the hospital but died soon after. He is survived by wife Kamalakshi and children Sabarinath and Krishna Priya.

Though an alert was sounded across the State after the death of three persons on Sunday, the number of sunstroke victims are peaking.

Two women in Alappuzha, five persons including a four-year-old girl in Kottayam, three women in Kollam, an auto driver in Paravurm, two persons in Palakkad and a PWD overseer in Thiruvananthapuram Aryanad were among the sunstroke victims.

Not only humans, animals and birds are also reeling under summer heat. A bull died due to sunstroke in Aluva.

Yesterday heat was severe in Vellanikkara. The mercury level went very near to 40 degree Celsius(dC). The average temperature of the State crossed 38dC, which may go past 40 dC. If this state continues, there will be more deaths in the coming days. Severe drought will follow and water level in dams will plummet.

The Met department said there is no chance for rain in the coming days. However there is little chance for rain in Kollam and Alappuzha.

Alert!

Old persons, pregnant women, children and diseased persons should not come into direct contact with the sunlight between 11 am and 3 pm.