A cold wave hits Belgium this week: temperatures down to -15ºC are announced. While the health of a large majority of the population should not be impacted, the cold remains an enemy for patients with certain pathologies.
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Dsince Sunday, temperatures have plummeted. A cold wave has settled in our country and the mercury could still be around – 15ºC in the coming days. If we are far from the polar vortex situation which is currently plunging Canadians into an extreme winter at – 40 ° C or even – 50 ° C, the impact of the cold on our body is nevertheless already being felt. “Problems can certainly be encountered around temperatures between – 5 ° C and – 10 ° C”, says Dr Vincenzo D’Orio, head of the emergency department of the CHU Liège. “These are most often minor problems such as the appearance of frostbite on the digital level, in the feet and hands. They manifest themselves in the form of redness equivalent to those that would develop following significant sun exposure. Frostbite is often not serious but can lead to more serious things, such as frostbite causing skin necrosis ”.
