Italian health officials have drawn up a national prevention plan in view of the record heat expected this summer.
The plan was presented Friday at the health ministry and focuses mostly on those for whom extreme heat will present the greatest risk, above all the elderly with chronic health problems and infants.
The plan was prepared in collaboration with local health authorities, hospitals and family doctors.
It includes an early warning system, to be run by the Civil Protection department, foresees the creation of a registry of people who are most at risk and maps out a national information campaign.
Current long-term forecasts for the summer predict a number of extreme short heat waves in June and above seasonal temperatures for the following two months.
