Heatwave Heat Illness Cases Surge... "Exponential Increase in Patients When Temperature Exceeds 33℃"

[Financial News] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on the 22nd that the number of heat illness cases is rapidly increasing due to the record-breaking heatwave this summer, confirming a clear correlation that the higher the temperature, the more rapidly the number of patients increases.
The agency predicts that the heatwave will continue until the end of August and urged the public to adhere to preventive measures against heat illness.
Heat illness is an acute illness that occurs when exposed to heat for a long time, with representative illnesses being heatstroke and heat exhaustion. Headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, fatigue, and decreased consciousness are major symptoms, and if left untreated, it can be life-threatening.

The agency has been operating the 'Heat Illness Emergency Room Surveillance System' since 2011, collecting and analyzing patient occurrence data from approximately 500 emergency medical institutions nationwide.
In fact, this year, the number of patients has increased at an unusually fast pace. By the end of June, the number of heat illness cases had already exceeded 1,000, and as of August 21, the cumulative number of patients reached 3,815. This is the second-highest level since the surveillance system began in 2011, following the highest number of patients in 2018 (4,393). In particular, compared to the same period last year (3,004), it is an increase of 1.26 times.
The agency explained that an analysis of data collected over the past 11 years (2015-2025) along with the daily maximum temperature showed that the number of patients increases exponentially as the temperature rises.
In the temperature range of 27.7~31℃, the number of patients increased by an average of 7.4 per 1℃ rise, but in the range of 31.1~33.2℃, it increased by 22, and above 33.3℃, it increased by as much as 51. This means that when the daily maximum temperature exceeds 33℃, the occurrence of heat illness cases skyrockets.
The agency emphasized that preventive measures must be followed on days when a heatwave is expected. Specifically, it is necessary to △ drink water frequently even if not thirsty △ wear light and bright-colored clothing △ lower body temperature with showers or cooling devices △ refrain from outdoor activities during the hottest hours of the day △ check weather information frequently.
In particular, if symptoms such as headache and dizziness occur in a hot environment, one should immediately move to a cool place to rest and hydrate, and if symptoms do not improve, seek hospital treatment through 119 without delay.
Seung-Kwan Lim, the director of the agency, said, “This year, the high-temperature phenomenon started early and persisted for a long time, resulting in a significant increase in heat illness cases compared to the past,” adding, “We will prepare to prevent health damage from heatwaves in advance based on temperature data.”
Director Lim added, “According to the weather forecast, daytime temperatures are expected to remain between 30~34℃ until the end of August,” urging, “I hope everyone will consistently practice preventive measures against heat illness.”

vrdw88@fnnews.com Jungmo Kang