It's autumn according to the solar term, but it's still hot

Wednesday was this year's 28th high-temperature day in Shanghai, even though it also marked this year's 13th solar term in the Chinese traditional calendar, liqiu, literally meaning the start of autumn.

The highest temperature recorded at the benchmark Xujiahui weather station on Wednesday was 38.2 degrees Celsius, with an orange alert for high temperature issued at 9:30am, the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau said.

Thursday will also be hot, with highs predicted to reach 38 to 39 degrees.

The current heatwave has already lasted for 11 days and the mercury won't drop to below 35 degrees until next week, according to local forecasters.

Shanghai usually has 15 high-temperature days (days when the temperature exceeds 35 degrees) a year. The number of hot days this year will be twice the average, forecasters said.

The long-term heat caused some health problems, apart from sunstroke, local hospitals said they also received some patients sickened due to air-conditioning.

Doctors from Shanghai Seventh People's Hospital said its emergency department received a female with sudden facial paralysis after being exposed to cold wind from an air-conditioner running throughout the night.

"Facial paralysis is a common neurological disease, which occurs after exposure to wind or cold on the face and is more common in winter and spring. However, the cold wind from air conditioner in summer also can trigger facial paralysis. Clinically, it is mainly characterized by a crooked mouth and eyes, mostly unilateral, with very few cases of bilateral simultaneous onset," said Dr Shi Yin, who used acupuncture to cure the patient.

"Acupuncture has a long history in treating facial paralysis. The treatment is simple to perform, provides quick results, and has no toxic side effects. Acupuncture has unparalleled advantages in treating nerve damage and muscle paralysis and has been recommended by the World Health Organization as one of the advantageous treatments for facial paralysis,' she said.