A total of 1,652 heat-related illness cases this summer
Nine deaths reported so far
After a period of record-breaking heavy rain, the return of the heatwave has caused the number of heat-related illnesses, which had recently remained in the single digits, to surge by more than 40 cases in a single day.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's emergency room monitoring system for heat-related illnesses on the 21st, there were 42 new cases of heat-related illness reported the previous day. From July 15, when there were 7 cases, the daily number had stayed in the single digits for five consecutive days, but with the return of the heatwave, cases are rapidly increasing again.
On the morning of the 11th, when the heatwave warning continued, a worker is resting while drinking saline glucose and water provided by the company at a logistics warehouse of a courier company in Gwangsan District, Gwangju. Photo by Yonhap News
From May 15, the start date of this year's monitoring, to the previous day, the cumulative number of heat-related illness cases totaled 1,652. The cumulative number of suspected deaths from heat-related illness is 9.
Last year, the monitoring system operated from May 20, and by July 20, there were 620 cases of heat-related illness, including 3 deaths. During the same period this year, there were 1,636 cases, an increase of 2.6 times.
Among patients, the most frequently confirmed types of heat-related illnesses were heat exhaustion (60.0%), heat stroke (18.3%), and heat cramps (11.6%), in that order.
The government is urging people to refrain from outdoor activities during the daytime and to make sure to rest if they feel hot or fatigued. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can cause symptoms such as headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, fatigue, and decreased consciousness. If left untreated, these conditions can become life-threatening.
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