Two men have died in Baltimore from the cold in recent months, bringing the number of winter-weather deaths to four in the city and 16 statewide this season, the Baltimore City Health Department said Wednesday.
Alcohol use and cardiovascular disease were contributing factors in both deaths, one between 45-64 years old, and the other between 18-44, the department said.
The health commissioner declared a "Code Blue" advisory for Thursday and Friday due to expected low temperatures and wind chills dropping to the single digits. The cold-weather advisory allows homeless shelters to expand the number of spaces, among other measures, to protect vulnerable populations from hypothermia. This week's marks the sixth Code Blue advisory of the winter, one of which was on Jan. 9, when one of the men died. The other man died in November. Both were reported to the BCHD on Wednesday.
"We are especially concerned about our vulnerable residents, and those with history of chronic disease need to be especially vigilant," Dr. Leana Wen, the city health commissioner, said in a statement. "People should avoid drinking alcohol on these very cold days because it blunts their natural response to hypothermia, preventing one's mind from recognizing they are too cold and one's body from naturally shivering to keep warm."
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