'Cold stroke' kills old man in Cagayan
by BRIGETTE MAYOR, ABS-CBN News Cagayan Valley | 01/14/2009 6:05 PM
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TUGUEGARAO CITY--A 72-year-old man allegedly died due to hypothermia Tuesday evening in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, northern Philippines.
Felipe Catulin of barangay Annafunan allegedly suffered from hypertension brought by the cold weather.
Two days before he died, he was in chills and complained of the cold weather.
"Dalawang araw bago mangyari ito, nirereklamo niya ang lamig, talagang di niya nakayanan ang lamig," says Danilo Catulin, nephew of the victim.
Records of the weather bureau PAGASA show that the temperature in Tuguegarao City dropped to 14 degree Celcius last Monday. This is the coldest temperature so far that Cagayan has had in weeks.
City health officer Dr. James Guzman says cold weather can really trigger hypertension and lead to brain attack, and this may have happened to Felipe.
"Chances are, it is more his hypertension na natrigger dahil sa lamig," Dr. Guzman says.
Aside from old folks, the cold temperature also triggers several illnesses of children like asthma and other upper respiratory infections.
PAGASA forecasters attribute the cold weather to the Carribean winds or the northeast monsoon affecting the region, which reportedly may end late February or early March this year.
