JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The unofficial kickoff to summer meant a spike in heat-related illness this Memorial Day weekend.
Thousands of people enjoyed the long weekend at the beach, at a cookout or at the park. With all that time outdoors, doctors say they saw a number of patients with heat exhaustion and heat cramps.
It's the season of outdoor fun, cookouts, and camping. While we do our best to pack a cooler full of water and drinks to stay hydrated, doctors say the heat can still be hard to beat. That's why they want to make sure you can spot the signs of heat exhaustion and when your body just needs a break from the soaring temperatures.
One way to tell your body is in danger of dehydration is when your mouth feels dry, you feel thirsty, and you notice that you haven't used the restroom all day.
When the body gets too hot, heat exhaustion can occur. That's when you begin to feel nauseous, dizzy, weak and fatigue. Get out of the heat immediately and apply a cool wet cloth to your forehead to lower your body temperature.
Doctors say staying hydrated begins before you go out in the heat. Drink plenty of water before stepping outside and keep a water bottle on you at all times. Avoid sugary drinks and be careful with alcohol which can dehydrate you twice as fast.
CareSpots in Duval County were alarmed this week by the number of STDs that were reported. They've mainly treated syphilis, gonorrhea and trichomonas. Nurses say this is an important reminder to get tested. This will help treat your symptoms and prevent it from spreading to others. A number of clinics have also been busy treating Bronchitis and sunburns.
In Clay County at the Care Spot in Middleburg: Stomach viruses are making a comeback. The staff has also treated several patients with coughing and upper respiratory infections.
At the CareSpot in St. Augustine, kids in day cares need to be extra careful because strep throat is spreading. Doctors also report pharyngitis and a stomach bug.
In Nassau County at the Care Spot in Yulee, sinus infections, sun burns and heat exhaustion were the main issues this week.