The number of heat-related illnesses decreased by 400 this summer, but the number of deaths is expected to be 36, the second highest on record.

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Go Yoo-seon = Although the number of people suffering from heat-related illnesses this summer has decreased by nearly 400 compared to last year, the number of deaths has increased and is expected to be the second highest in history since the introduction of the sample surveillance system.

According to the results of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's heat illness surveillance system operation on the 2nd, as a result of sample surveillance targeting 516 medical institutions nationwide from May 15 to September 30 of this year, the number of patients who visited the emergency room due to heat illness was tentatively counted at 4,066.

This is a decrease of about 8.8% (394 people) from last year’s number of heat-related illnesses (4,460 people).

However, the estimated number of deaths due to heat-related illness this year is 36, an increase of 7 compared to last year (29). Since health authorities began operating a surveillance system for casualties due to heat waves in 2011, this is the second highest number ever, following 2018 (48).

By region, this year, 959 people with heat-related illnesses occurred in Gyeonggi-do, 477 in Seoul, 358 in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, and 353 in Gyeongnam visited the emergency room.

The regions with the most deaths were Seoul and Jeonbuk, with six deaths each.

The day with the highest number of heat-related illnesses occurred on August 7th, when 239 people across the country visited the emergency room.

When looking at the gender of all heat-related illnesses, 77.2% were men and 22.8% were women, and when looking at age, people aged 65 or older accounted for 34.9%, showing a high proportion of the elderly.

By disease, heat exhaustion was the most common at 61.8%, followed by heat stroke (17.3%), heat cramps (11.6%), and heat syncope (7.8%).

The occurrence time was 2 PM to 3 PM for 9.7%, 3 PM to 4 PM for 9.5%, and 4 PM to 5 PM for 9.3%.

The majority of cases occurred outdoors at 75.3%, with the highest occurrence rates occurring in workplaces (26.1%), rice fields (12.5%), and roadsides (12.0%).

Heat illness is a disease that occurs when exposed to heat for a long period of time. It shows symptoms such as headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, fatigue, and decreased consciousness, and if left untreated, it can be life-threatening.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has been operating a sample surveillance system since 2011 to monitor health damage caused by heat waves.