Nearly 2,900 Heat Illness Patients Amid 'Jjimtong Heat'... Second Highest Ever

Due to Typhoon 'Jongdari', the heatwave is expected to continue

The oppressive heat. Photo by Yonhap News

As the sweltering heatwave continues, the number of heat-related illness patients has approached 2,900, marking the second highest level on record.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's heat-related illness emergency room surveillance system data on the 20th, 71 new heat-related illness cases were reported the previous day. Among them, one death was included, bringing the total estimated deaths from heat-related illnesses to 26.

The number of heat-related illness patients had decreased for six consecutive days from the 13th (101 cases) to the 18th (42 cases) of this month but increased again the day before. As a result, the cumulative number of patients since the surveillance system began operating on May 20th this year has risen to 2,890.

This is the second highest number since the heat-related illness surveillance system started in 2011. With more than a month remaining before the surveillance system ends, this figure has already surpassed last year's record of 2,818 cases. The year with the highest number of heat-related illness cases since the system's inception was 2018, with a total of 4,526 cases, including 48 deaths.

Considering that the surveillance system operates annually until September 30th, experts predict that the number of patients this year is likely to exceed 3,000. The approaching Typhoon No. 9 "Jongdari" is expected to bring hot and humid air from the tropical sea, not cooling down the ongoing heatwave but rather intensifying the heat day and night. Heat-related illnesses are expected to continue occurring for the time being.

Among the heat-related illness cases this year, 77.2% were men. By age group, those in their 50s accounted for the largest share at 18.7%, followed by those in their 60s (18.5%), and those in their 70s and 30s (12.4%). By type of illness, heat exhaustion accounted for more than half at 55.4%. There were also many cases of heatstroke (21.0%) and heat cramps (14.1%).