Over 300 heatstroke cases in India's Andhra Pradesh, 31 NCC cadets hospitalised in MP

More than 300 suspected cases of heat-related illnesses have been reported in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh from the ‌start of March to mid-May, the state's health department said.

In a concerning incident amid the ongoing severe heatwave sweeping across central India, more than 31 National Cadet Corps (NCC) trainees fell seriously ill with symptoms of heatstroke and dehydration at a training camp held at the Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing campus on Dumna Road in Madhya Pradesh (MP.

Two heatstroke patients have ‌been admitted to a state-run hospital in Delhi and were critical, local media reported.

Severe heat has led to patients with diarrhoea and dehydration ⁠lining up at hospitals in some parts of the country and triggered water shortages in the western state of Gujarat, visuals from news agency ANI ​showed.

Andhra Pradesh reported 325 suspected heatstroke cases between March ‌1 and May 19 – ‌with roughly a third of them reported since the start of May.

A worker shows dead fish at Sanjay Lake, which partially dried up amid a heatwave in New Delhi on Friday. AFP

The Jabalpur incident triggered panic within the camp premises late on Thursday evening, with all affected cadets immediately rushed to the District Hospital for urgent medical care.

According to officials, the cadets began complaining of dizziness, vomiting, diarrhoea, and extreme weakness around 8pm on Thursday.

CMHO Dr Naveen Kothari told IANS, "After the incident, children from the NCC camp being held at IIITDM started arriving here. So far, 31 children have been brought in, including 15 boys and 16 girls. When they were brought to Victoria Hospital, some had stomach pain, some were feeling anxious, some complained of chest pain, while others showed symptoms like drowsiness and semi-consciousness.”

He also said, "Primarily, we have treated them for heatstroke, but our food safety officer will also make sure if it was a case of food poisoning or heatstroke. We will check the food at the camp."

Dr Kothari said almost all children have recovered. Medical teams at the hospital confirmed that while most are stable and responding to treatment, the condition of three to four cadets remains serious, with at least seven admitted to the intensive care unit.

A dedicated team of doctors is closely monitoring all the young trainees, and families of the affected cadets have been informed about their condition.

NCC officials and representatives from the District Health Department are present at the facility to coordinate support.

The training camp, which commenced on May 14 and is scheduled to continue until May 24, involves more than 450 NCC cadets from Jabalpur and neighbouring districts.

Preliminary investigations by the district administration and health authorities have attributed the mass illness primarily to the scorching heatwave conditions and the physical exertion of training conducted largely under the open sky.

This incident has raised questions about the scheduling of intensive outdoor training programmes during the peak summer season.

NCC authorities are expected to review safety protocols for the remaining days of the camp. District officials have assured that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the well-being of the cadets. Parents and guardians have been urged to remain in contact with hospital staff for regular updates.

Madhya Pradesh has been reeling under extreme temperatures, with several areas recording highs above 47˚C in recent days. In Jabalpur specifically, the mercury hovered between 44 and 45 degrees Celsius over the past four days, creating hazardous conditions for outdoor activities.The India Meteorological Department declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature ‌is at least 40˚C (104˚F) in the plains and 30˚C (86˚F) in hilly regions, and is 4.5˚C to 6.4˚C ‌above normal, or ‌touches 45˚C.

The highest ⁠maximum temperature of 48˚C (118˚F) so far this year ‌was reported in Banda in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh this week, local media said.

India recorded more than ⁠7,000 suspected heatstroke cases and 14 deaths between March ​and June last year. Over the same period in 2024, there were 40,000 suspected cases and 110 deaths.

Agencies