Heat Wave Follows Heavy Rains... 61 Heat-Related Illness Cases Sent to Emergency Rooms

Heat-related Illness Cases on July 22 Increase by 35.6% Compared to July 20

After the heavy rains subsided, a heat wave followed, resulting in more than 60 cases of heat-related illnesses reported in a single day.

Yonhap News Agency

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on July 22, a total of 61 people visited emergency rooms nationwide for heat-related illnesses the previous day, representing a 35.6% increase compared to July 20, when there were 45 cases.

From May 15 until the previous day, the cumulative number of heat-related illness cases reached 1,717, including 9 deaths. This figure is more than double the 637 cases reported during the same period last year (from May 20, 2024, to July 22, 2024).

After the record-breaking downpours temporarily eased the heat, the number of daily heat-related illness cases dropped to single digits for five consecutive days starting July 15. However, since then, the number has surged. Of this year’s cumulative cases, 59.9% were instances of heat exhaustion.