SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) — The number of heat-related illness cases is rising at the fastest pace on record this summer amid scorching heat, health authorities said Thursday, urging vulnerable groups to take extra precautions.
A total of 1,228 patients have visited emergency rooms for heat-related conditions as of Wednesday since mid-May, when authorities launched the heat-related illness surveillance system, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked the earliest time since the monitoring system began in 2011 that the number of cases has surpassed 1,000. Of these patients, eight have died.
Compared with the same period last year, the number of patients has increased about 2.5 times, while the number of deaths nearly tripled from three.
A construction worker drinks water while working outdoors in the South Korean western city of Gwangju on July 2, 2025. (Yonhap)
The growth in heat-related illness cases has accelerated as the nationwide average high temperature has remained above 31 C since late June.
On Tuesday alone, 238 people visited emergency rooms due to heat-related illnesses, which was the first time since 2018 that the daily number of heat-related patients exceeded 200.
“Farmers, fishermen and outdoor workers, in particular, should avoid prolonged activity in high temperatures, stay well-hydrated and take adequate rest,” the KDCA said.
According to the agency data, most heat-related illness cases, or 81.1 percent, occurred outdoors, and people aged 65 and older accounted for 36.6 percent of total cases.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
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