An elderly man in a Baltimore home with no heat or electricity died in the cold Saturday and a homeless man younger than age 45 died earlier this month, city health officials said Wednesday as they urged residents to take care in frigid weather.
The deaths bring to a dozen the number of people who have died of cold weather-related illnesses so far this winter, according to state health officials. They are the first deaths tied to cold temperatures in Baltimore this season.
"These two deaths are tragic and preventable," city health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen said in a statement. "The cold temperatures and low wind chills are life-threatening conditions for many individuals, such as children, older adults, homeless individuals, the elderly and people with chronic medical conditions."
The homeless man was aged 18-44 and died Jan. 6. Two other cold-related deaths have occurred in the Baltimore area so far this winter — an elderly Carroll County woman and an Anne Arundel County man aged 18-44.
Health officials do not release further details on the deaths, citing privacy concerns.
Health departments track deaths in which weather is considered to be a factor, though in many cases victims have underlying health conditions that make them vulnerable to the cold, or to excessive heat. Hypothermia occurs when body temperature drops below 95 degrees.