SEOUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th August, 2023) Twenty-seven people have died from the heat in South Korea since the end of May, the highest number since 2018, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on Wednesday.
A total of 27 people died from suspected heat-related illnesses between May 20 and August 8, according to data from the KDCA. This is the highest number since 2018, when 48 people died due to the heat in the country during the same period.
The number of people hospitalized for heat-related illnesses, including the 27 who died during the period, was 2,085, also the highest since 2018. About a third of the patients, or 30.9%, were 65 years of age or older.
The KDCA said the number of heat-related deaths could rise further as data will be collected until September.
South Korea has been experiencing an enormous heat wave for more than two weeks, with air temperatures rising to 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions.
