WHO ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE TO PREVENT HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS AT MASS GATHERINGS

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The growing risk of heat-related illness at major sporting, religious and cultural events has prompted the World Health Organisation (WHO) to issue new guidance aimed at helping organisers prevent and manage heat emergencies on site.

The guidance, released on Wednesday, is based on a review of evidence from studies published between 1980 and 2025. It shows that most heat-related illnesses at mass gatherings can be prevented or treated at event venues when timely risk assessment, preparedness and response measures are put in place.

The review documented nearly 500,000 medical encounters at mass gatherings, including more than 22,000 cases of heat-related illness. It found that well-organised on-site medical systems can treat more than 90 per cent of patients at the venue, reducing pressure on local hospitals and ambulance services.

“Extreme heat is an increasing threat to health, safety and operational continuity in mass gatherings, and must be addressed not only as an environmental hazard but as a core operational and governance challenge,” said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.

He said protecting people from extreme heat cannot depend on individual behaviour alone, but requires consistent risk assessment, preparedness and response measures to reduce immediate harm and make events safer in a warming world.

WHO estimates that heat-related deaths have increased by 63 per cent since the 1990s, with an average of 546,000 deaths recorded annually between 2012 and 2021.

Mass gatherings can increase exposure to heat because people may spend long periods outdoors in direct sunlight, while dense crowds, limited access to safe drinking water, travel-related stress and unfamiliarity with local climatic conditions can further increase the risk.

The pressure can also extend to health systems, as large numbers of people requiring medical attention can quickly overwhelm local hospitals and emergency services.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says hot extremes, including heatwaves, have become more frequent and intense across most land regions since the 1950s, largely due to climate change. It projects that the frequency and intensity of extreme heat will continue to increase as global temperatures rise.

To help countries respond to the growing threat, WHO has released a new set of resources titled Prevention and Management of Heat-Related Illness at Mass Gatherings. The resources draw on systematic reviews and lessons from mass gatherings around the world.

The guidance recommends that organisers begin preparing before temperatures reach dangerous levels. Measures include providing adequate drinking water and sanitation facilities, installing cooling infrastructure, adjusting event schedules, managing crowd movement and ensuring well-equipped medical teams are available on site.

WHO says the measures should cover everyone involved in mass gatherings, including spectators, attendees, volunteers and workers.

It also recommends a whole-of-event approach, noting that venue design, crowd management, water and sanitation, transport, security, communication and workforce planning can all affect people’s access to cooling, safe water and timely medical care.

The organisation is urging countries to incorporate heat-related risks into broader emergency preparedness and all-hazards planning for mass gatherings.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis