High temperatures are expected to linger in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River for several days yet, meteorological officials said Monday. The city of Shanghai is likely to remain on red alert with temperatures staying above 35 degrees Celsius until the end of this month, according to the Shanghai Municipal Meteorological Center.

The lingering subtropical anticyclone will continue to challenge government administrators as the scorching heat exerts its full force.

Electrical power generators have been kept running near maximum load to meet surging household demand while 5,000 industrial facilities have shifted operating hours to reduce the pressure.

The electric load reached 14.4 million kilowatts Monday following a peak of 15.0 million kilowatts recorded last Friday, according to Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company. The company has made arrangements with other suppliers, such as using electricity from the East China Power Grid, to help the city through the hot summer.

The Shanghai Municipal Water Affairs Bureau has prepared to quench the city's thirst by increasing the supply of tap water to 9.2 million cubic meters, 2.5 percent more than last year's highest level.

The retail sector is reaping benefits from the weather as products that help beat the summer heat are selling well.

On the other hand, the medical sector is being challenged as an increasing number of patients suffering from sunstroke or gastroenterological diseases require more hands and beds.

Facilities such as Huashan and Shuguang hospitals have reported a daily increase of about 10 percent in patients treated at both their outpatient and emergency departments.

At Fudan University's Children's Hospital, about 550 young patients arrive every day to receive intravenous infusions.

"Most of the illnesses are caused by little babies' inability to adapt to air conditioners, or because they are given improper food," said hospital spokeswoman Luo Weifen.

In Hangzhou, a local weather forecaster said that the scorching temperatures will continue in the coming days.

The city saw four successive days last week with the temperatures rising above 38 degrees Celsius. On Saturday, the temperature soared to this summer's record, 39.5 degrees.

The number of patients presenting at Hangzhou's hospitals with heat-related ailments increased sharply. According to a doctor surnamed Liu at the First Hangzhou Hospital, outpatient cases jumped to 5,500 Monday, a 22 percent increase from the normal figure. The number of patients suffering fever, heatstroke, and acute diseases caused by frequent air-conditioner use has doubled, especially for senior citizens.

The heat has also aggravated the city's already-serious power shortage.

Although the local government launched emergency measures last week to ensure electricity supplies for residents during the night, more than a hundred power lines have had to be cut off.

As the number of high-temperature days extends beyond earlier predictions, 97 local enterprises were required to stop operations Tuesday. They were originally scheduled to shut down in August.

The local meteorological center is planning to attempt to induce artificial rain to ease the drought and the heat wave.

(China Daily July 27, 2004)