People suffer health-related illness when the body's temperature control system is overloaded.
The body normally cools itself by sweating. When the humidity is high, sweat will not evaporate as quickly, preventing the body from releasing heat quickly. The result can be heat stroke or heat exhaustion. The risk for heat-related illness and death is higher for infants and the elderly, whose internal thermostats do not regulate body temperature well. Heat-related illness and death are readily preventable, Dr. Raymond said.