98 Cases in a Single Day on the 7th,
Cumulative Total Reaches 977...
7 Deaths Reported So Far
As the record-breaking heatwave with high temperatures and humidity continues, the number of patients visiting emergency rooms for heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke and heat exhaustion has surged to twice the number seen during the same period last year.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on July 9, a total of 98 people visited approximately 500 emergency rooms nationwide for heat-related illnesses on July 7 alone. Since the KDCA activated its heat-related illness monitoring system on May 15, the cumulative number of patients has reached 977, nearing 1,000.
Looking only at the numbers since last year’s monitoring began on May 20, there have been 961 cases this year, which is double the number for the same period last year (478 cases).
Heat-related illnesses are acute conditions caused by exposure to heat. Prolonged exposure to hot environments can lead to symptoms such as headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, fatigue, and decreased consciousness. If left untreated, these conditions can be life-threatening.
The estimated number of deaths from heat-related illnesses this year is 7, which is also more than double the figure from the same period last year (3 deaths). This is due to the record-high temperatures that have continued since late June, with the daytime temperature in Seoul reaching 37.7 degrees Celsius on July 8, setting a new record for early July since weather observations began.
Although not yet reflected in the official statistics, there are concerns that the number of estimated deaths from heat-related illnesses may rise further, as seen in the case of a Vietnamese subcontract worker in his 20s who died at an apartment construction site in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, on July 7.
Of the 977 heat-related patients so far this year, 75.9% are male. Additionally, one in three (33.5%) emergency room patients with heat-related illnesses were aged 65 or older. By occupation, simple laborers accounted for the largest proportion at 21.2%. By location, workplaces accounted for 25.9%, rice paddies and fields for 16.3%, and roadsides for 13.4%. In terms of type, heat exhaustion accounted for more than half at 56.1%, followed by heatstroke (20.4%), heat cramps (12.8%), heat syncope (9.2%), and heat edema (0.2%).
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