According to an advisory issued by the National Health Board, people most vulnerable to the heat are infant children, the elderly, people on heart-related medications or those who suffer from chronic diseases.
People are advised to continuously drink water or sugar-free fruit juices, even when they are not thirsty so as to avoid dehydration.
Children are particularly vulnerable as they do not always reveal whether they are thirsty.
Sugary drinks and alcohol can exacerbate the negative effects of the heat and should be avoided, especially during the hottest time of the day which is between 11am and 5pm, which is also when UV Rays are at their strongest.
Forecasts for this week point to all regions of the country reaching 8 out of a scale of 11 in terms of the UV ratings, which is already considered dangerous by the Portuguese Met Office. Parts of the Algarve are this weekend expected to reach 10, which borders on avoiding exposure to the sun at all times.
Showers at low temperatures, not cold, are recommended so as to avoid a thermal shock to the body, with people advised to wear shirts, hats, apply sun cream (with a minimum SPF of 30) every two hours, wear sun glasses and avoid the sun during the hottest periods of the day.
Motorists are also advised to stock up on liquids when undertaking long trips, especially at this time of the year when traffic congestion around the country’s most popular resorts is common.
Inside homes, shutters or blinds should be drawn down during the day and opened once more in the late afternoon