As a prolonged heat wave continues across the country, over 200 people sought emergency care for heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion, on the previous day.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 202 heat illness patients visited emergency rooms nationwide on that day, with three fatalities reported.
Since the heat illness monitoring system was activated on May 15, a total of 3,089 cases have been recorded, resulting in 26 deaths.
While daily cases were below 50 until mid-July, they have surged into the triple digits this month. On August 3, there were 208 cases, followed by 211 on August 4, and 223 on August 5. Although the number dropped slightly to 194 on August 6, it increased again the following day.
On the previous day, the Gyeonggi Province reported the highest number of cases at 68, while Seoul had 35.
This summer, 76.8% of heat illness patients have been male, with 35.1% of cases involving individuals aged 65 and older.
Most incidents occurred between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. (12.8%), with 9.9% occurring between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., 9.8% between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., and 9.2% between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Outdoor workplaces accounted for 25.1% of cases, while 12.8% occurred on the roadside and 11.9% in fields, indicating that outdoor settings (74.9%) are the primary locations for these incidents.
Meanwhile, the Korea Meteorological Administration has forecasted that daytime temperatures in most regions will remain between 31°C and 35°C until mid-August, which is higher than the average for this time of year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.