Kanpur, Jan 9 (IANS): The figures are scary enough to give a shock. In the past five days, 98 persons have died due to heart and brain stroke in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur.

Of the 98 deaths, 44 died in the hospital while 54 patients died before treatment.

These statistics have been given by the L.P.S Institute of Cardiology.

According to data released by Laxmipat Singhania Institute of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Kanpur, 723 heart patients have come to the emergency and outpatient department of the hospital in the past one week.

Fourteen patients suffering from severe cold, died of heart attack on Saturday while six people died during treatment at the Institute of Heart Disease. Eight persons were brought dead in the institute.

Within the past 24 hours, 14 patients have died at the city's SPS Heart Institute.

A total of 604 patients are under treatment at the Heart Disease Institute. These include 54 new and 27 old patients.

Vinay Krishna, Director of Cardiology, said that patients should be protected from cold in this weather.

A faculty member in King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow said, "Heart attacks in this cold weather are not restricted only to the elderly. We have got cases when even teenagers have suffered heart attack. Everyone, irrespective of age, should keep warm and stay indoors as far as possible."