Surge in Heat-Related Illnesses: Over 200 Emergency Room Visits and 3 Deaths Reported in a Single Day

As scorching heatwaves continue, more than 200 people sought treatment at emergency rooms for heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion yesterday (August 7).

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 202 people visited around 500 emergency rooms nationwide yesterday due to heat-related illnesses.

Among them, three people died.


The cumulative number of patients identified through the heat-related illness surveillance system launched on May 15 stands at 3,089, with 26 cumulative deaths.

While the number of daily heat-related illness patients remained below 50 until the middle of last month, the figure has been recording triple digits every day since the beginning of this month.

There were 208 patients on August 3, 211 on August 4, and 223 on August 5, marking over 200 cases for three consecutive days.

Although the number dipped slightly to 194 on August 6, it increased again just a day later.

By region, Gyeonggi Province reported the highest number of heat-related illnesses yesterday with 68 cases, followed by Seoul with 35 cases.

Men account for 76.8% of the cumulative heat-related illness patients this summer.

By age group, 35.1% were elderly individuals aged 65 and older.

By type of illness, heat exhaustion accounted for the majority at 61.4%, followed by heatstroke at 18.0%, and heat cramps at 10.8%.

Regarding the time of occurrence, 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM accounted for 12.8%.

This appears to be because temperatures did not drop overnight due to tropical nights, leading to continued hot weather even in the morning.

This was followed by 9.9% of patients occurring between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM, 9.8% between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM, and 9.2% between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

As for locations, outdoor workplaces accounted for 25.1%, streets for 12.8%, and rice paddies and fields for 11.9%, with outdoor locations making up the vast majority at 74.9%.

However, cases reported from homes also reached 8.9%.

To avoid heat-related illnesses, people should refrain from outdoor activities during heatwaves and maintain body hydration by drinking water frequently even before feeling thirsty.

Alcohol and caffeinated beverages are advisable to avoid as they can induce dehydration.

When going out is unavoidable, it is recommended to wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and block sunlight with a parasol or hat.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.