Shenzhen encountered this winter's coldest weather over the weekend with the minimum temperature dropping to 5.7 degrees Celsius on Saturday and 6 degrees Celsius yesterday morning, according to the local meteorological authorities.

The mercury will begin to slowly climb from tomorrow.

The cold weather has brought a sharp increase in the number of people suffering from colds in Shenzhen. A rise in the number of heart and respiratory complaints in the city was also registered.

The city's major hospitals received more patients with colds than usual. At the transfusion area of Beijing University Shenzhen Hospital, it was difficult to find a spare seat, while the hospital's emergency clinic was packed with people seeking treatment for cold, stroke, and other ailments over the weekend. The hospital and Shenzhen Municipal People's Hospital saw 20 percent more stroke, miocardial infarction and asthma complaints than usual.

The local meteorological observatory said the yellow alert for cold weather will remain effective today, with a minimum temperature of 9 degrees Celsius.

The Shenzhen Homeless Shelter has launched round-the-clock relief services for vagrants. It took in over 35 people over the weekend.

(Shenzhen Daily January 9, 2006)