[Graphic News] Heat-related illnesses hit third-highest level since 2011

South Korea reported 4,066 patients with heat-related illnesses in 2026, the third-highest figure since nationwide monitoring began in 2011, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The total dropped from 4,460 last year.

The number of heat wave days came to 22 this year, down from 29.7 in 2025 and 30.1 in 2024. Despite fewer heat wave days, the number of heat-related illness patients remained high, underscoring the health risks posed by intense heat.

The agency estimated 36 deaths linked to heat-related illnesses reported through emergency rooms between May and September, up 24 percent from a year earlier. People aged 80 and older accounted for 17 deaths, or 47.2 percent of the total, up from 10 last year, while deaths among those under 80 remained unchanged at 19.

Cases peaked in early August, with Aug. 1-10 accounting for 38 percent of patients and 44.4 percent of estimated deaths. The average daily high temperature during the period reached 34.4 degrees Celsius, up 2.9 C year-on-year.