Officials on Friday said at least 22 people had died from heart attacks in one single day amid cold wave conditions in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

The deaths were reported in Kanpur, about 88 km west of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

According to data released by Laxmipat Singhania Institute of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery (LPS Institute of Cardiology) Kanpur, on Thursday, 723 heart patients came to the emergency and outpatient department (OPD) of the hospital.

The data further revealed that seven patients died at the hospital while undergoing treatment, while 15 others were declared dead on arrival.

Doctors at the hospital attributed the abrupt increase in blood pressure leading to heart attacks to cold wave conditions prevalent in Kanpur.

Vinay Krishna, director of the LPS Institute of Cardiology, said “in Kanpur, the severe cold wave has intensified because of which the complaints of people suffering from heart ailments have increased.”

Health experts in Kanpur have advised people, including the young, to keep themselves warm and stay indoors.

North India has been in the grip of a cold wave for the past few days.

A significant drop in the day temperatures has been recorded in the northern states and sunshine remains elusive.

 (Xinhua/NAN)