This year, the second highest number of heat-related illnesses and estimated deaths in history.

The number of patients and deaths who visited the emergency room due to heat illness this summer was the second highest after 2018.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the results of the thermal disease monitoring system operated by 500 emergency medical institutions from May 20 to September 30.

During this period, the total number of heat-related diseases increased by 31.4% from a year ago to 3,704, and the estimated death toll of heat-related diseases also increased by 6.2% from 32 last year to 34.

This year, the total number of heat-related diseases was the second highest after 4,526 in 2018, and the number of deaths was second after 2018.

Among the deaths, the number of elderly people in their 60s and older decreased by four from last year, but 11 deaths occurred in those in their 60s, an increase of six from last year.

Among the total heat-related patients, the elderly aged 65 or older accounted for 30.4%, followed by those in their 50s with 19.3%.

By period, 28.2% of all patients with heat illness occurred in early August, and 15 deaths occurred during the same period.