He attributes the deaths of the two children found dead in a vehicle in Xylofagou to heatstroke, said Dr. Kostas Schizas, a physician and personal doctor, speaking on the Alpha News program.

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The doctor explains that heatstroke is a medical emergency that is life-threatening and is caused by an excessive rise in body temperature.

“The body temperature rises so much in a very short period of time—that is, above 40 degrees Celsius. As a result of the high temperature, we see severe dysfunction of the central nervous system. That is, it begins with delirium, psychosis, and confusion, and these children gradually lost consciousness; and due to the oxygen deprivation that set in gradually—because of the confined space—death ensued.”

Read also: The children were playing carefree in the area before the tragedy: Choppy video footage from a camera in the hands of the authorities

The doctor shared a similar experience he had, noting that something happened and he became locked inside the vehicle, unresponsive to any commands, and that he was rescued with the help of a passerby who broke the vehicle’s window.

Dr. Schizas also explains that the symptoms of heatstroke set in very quickly and include tachycardia, hypotension, and cardiac dysfunction.

He urges everyone—especially children and the elderly—to be particularly careful.