Between May 1 and August 29, 2026, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) recorded 5,720 emergency room visits related to heat-related illnesses.

The cumulative figure left the 2026 season just 28 visits short of matching the total recorded during the entire 2025 season, which ended with 5,748 cases.

The peak of the season: The impact of July

During the week of June 28 to July 4, 2026, the state recorded a sharp spike of 783 heat-related emergency room visits. This figure represented 0,8% of all emergency room visits during that week.

However, the most recent data shows a considerable decrease.

According to the last weekly state surveillance report, corresponding to the week of August 23 to 29, 168 visits to HRI emergency services were recorded.

The figure represented 0,2% of the total visits to the emergency department during that week.

Related:  How to protect yourself from the extreme heat this summer in North Carolina?

Which groups are the most vulnerable?

The 2026 surveillance data show a trend: older adultsMen aged 65 and over, in particular, face the greatest risk of heat stress.

Sean Doyle, a spokesman for the NCDHHS, told Enlace Latino NC   that, “while heat-related illnesses can affect anyone, regardless of age or physical condition, there are certain groups that are at disproportionate risk of suffering adverse health effects.”

These include:

• Older adults
• Outdoor workers
• Homeless
• Babies and children
• pregnant people
• Athletes
• Low-income people
• People with pre-existing health problems

Doyle added that diseases and Heat-related deaths are largely preventable.

“Recognizing the symptoms of heat-related illnesses is crucial to preventing serious complications. Some signs and symptoms include profuse sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, a rapid or weak pulse, dizziness, headache, fainting, and nausea or vomiting. If a person experiences symptoms, it is recommended to stay hydrated, cool down, and seek medical attention if they persist,” Doyle explained.

Republish This Story

Republish our stories for free on your website or newspaper. We follow the Creative Commons license. Click the box and follow the instructions.

close window

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

"This article may be republished for free under the Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Enlace Latino NC authorizes the reproduction of this content in newspapers and digital platforms, provided that the integrity of the text is maintained and that it is cited Enlace Latino NC and the author of the story to be republished as the primary source. If you publish the story in a digital news outlet or website, you must include a link to our website: www.enlacelatinonc.org

If you wish to make edits to the content to be republished, please contact our editorial team at walter@enlacelatinonc.org to obtain the corresponding permit."

Heat causes more than 5,700 emergency room visits in North Carolina

by Emilia Rivadeneira, Enlace Latino NC
September 8, 2026

Heat causes more than 5,700 emergency room visits in North Carolina by Emilia Rivadeneira, Enlace Latino NC September 8, 2026 Between May 1 and August 29, 2026, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) recorded 5,720 emergency room visits related to heat-related illnesses . The cumulative figure left the 2026 season just 28 visits short of matching the total recorded during the entire 2025 season, which closed with 5,748 cases. The peak of the season: The impact of July During the week of June 28 to July 4, 2026, the state recorded a sharp spike of 783 heat-related emergency room visits. This figure represented 0,8% of all emergency room visits during that week. However, the most recent data shows a considerable decrease. According to the latest state weekly surveillance report , corresponding to the week of August 23-29, 168 visits to HRI emergency departments were recorded. The figure represented 0,2% of the total visits to the emergency department during that week. Map of North Carolina detailing the heat-related emergency room rate in each county during the week of August 23-29, 2026. Map by NCDHHS, translated using artificial intelligence (AI). Related: How to protect yourself from the extreme heat this summer in North Carolina? Which groups are the most vulnerable? Surveillance data from 2026 show a trend: older adults , particularly men aged 65 and over, face the greatest risk of heat stress. Sean Doyle, a spokesman for the NCDHHS, told Enlace Latino NC that, "while heat-related illnesses can affect anyone, regardless of age or physical condition, there are certain groups that are at disproportionate risk of suffering adverse health effects." These include: Older adults Outdoor workers Homeless people Babies and children Pregnant people Athletes Low-income people People with pre-existing health problems Doyle added that heat-related illnesses and deaths are largely preventable . "Recognizing the symptoms of heat-related illnesses is crucial to preventing serious complications. Some signs and symptoms include profuse sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, a rapid or weak pulse, dizziness, headache, fainting, and nausea or vomiting. If a person experiences symptoms, it is recommended to hydrate, cool down, and seek medical attention if they persist," Doyle explained. This <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org/calor-causa-mas-de-5700-visitas-a-urgencias-en-carolina-del-norte/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org">Enlace Latino NCand is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: "https://enlacelatinonc.org/calor-causa-mas-de-4.0-visitas-a-urgencias-en-carolina-del-norte/", urlref: window.location.href }); } }

Copy to clipboard