Cumulative Number of Heat-Related Illness Cases: 1,546
With a nationwide heatwave warning issued, three suspected heat-related deaths occurred in just one day on Saturday, the 3rd.
A farmer is cooling off by drinking water while harvesting peppers in a farmland in Dasan-myeon, Goryeong-gun, Gyeongbuk. [Image source=Yonhap News]
According to the 'Heat-related Illness Emergency Room Surveillance System Operation Results' from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 4th, nearly 400 heat-related illness cases were reported during the weekdays last week. From the 29th of last month to the 2nd of this month, 386 heat-related illness cases were reported by 507 emergency medical institutions nationwide. The daily number of heat-related illness cases exceeded 100 for the first time on the 1st of this month and surged to 154 on the weekend of the 3rd.
Since the surveillance system began operation on May 20th until August 3rd, the cumulative number of heat-related illness cases reached 1,546. The number of suspected deaths due to heat-related illnesses was 11. About half of the deaths, five people, occurred on the 2nd and 3rd, with two and three deaths respectively.
Among the total 1,546 heat-related illness cases, 1,204 were men, accounting for 77.9%, and 342 were women, accounting for 22.1%. By age group, those in their 50s were the most affected with 294 cases (19.0%). This was followed by those in their 60s with 263 cases (17.0%), 40s with 219 cases (14.2%), and 30s with 195 cases (12.6%). The time of day when heat-related illnesses occurred most frequently was between 3 and 4 p.m. (11.9%). This was followed by 2 to 3 p.m. at 10.9%, and 6 to 10 a.m. at 9.9%.
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