The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is advising residents to be cautious when outdoors or in non-air-conditioned spaces, as the state experiences a significant increase in heat-related illnesses this summer. From May 1 to July 12, 2025, there have been more than 3,300 emergency department visits for heat-related illness, which is the highest number recorded in the past five years. For comparison, the average number of such visits during the same period from 2020 to 2024 was about half that amount.
“We are seeing more people coming to emergency departments across the state with heat-related illnesses this summer,” said Dr. Zack Moore, NCDHHS State Epidemiologist. “Heat-related illnesses can affect anyone, regardless of age or physical condition, but some groups are at higher risk, including outdoor workers, infants and children, older adults, pregnant people, athletes, low-income individuals and people with underlying health conditions.”
Recognizing symptoms early can help prevent serious complications or death. Symptoms include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, a racing or weak pulse, dizziness, headache, fainting and nausea or vomiting.
To help reduce risks associated with high temperatures, NCDHHS operates a Heat Health Alert System that issues warnings when forecasts predict unhealthy levels of heat. Between May 1 and July 18 this year over 900 county-level alerts were sent out in both English and Spanish across North Carolina. Residents can sign up for these alerts on the NCDHHS Climate and Health webpage.
NCDHHS recommends several measures to stay safe: drinking plenty of water throughout the day; limiting time outside during peak heat; wearing light and loose clothing; taking frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas; seeking public buildings if home temperatures exceed 95 degrees without air conditioning; and staying informed by subscribing to heat alerts and monitoring local weather forecasts.
The Division of Public Health at NCDHHS continues outreach efforts to lessen extreme heat impacts. Alongside its surveillance system and alert program for heat-related illness cases statewide—tools designed to inform response strategies—the agency’s Climate and Health Team has provided additional support services. These include distributing over 1,300 high-velocity cooling fans to farmworkers statewide (and partners in regions like Sandhills), developing training materials for healthcare providers treating farmworkers (in partnership with the Office of Rural Health), sharing educational materials such as water bottles and cooling towels with populations at higher risk of exposure to extreme heat along with guidance on prevention strategies. The team also works with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality on programs helping local governments develop action plans for extreme heat events.
