From May 23 to September 21, 2016, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) launched the heat-related illnesses (HRI) surveillance system to monitor heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramp, heat syncope, and heat edema from the heat wave through a nationwide network of 529 hospitals. During the above period of time, 2,125 cases of heat-related illnesses, and 17 deaths reported to KCDC.
The reports showed characteristics of patients with heat-related illnesses: by person, male patients (1,578, 74.3%) were three times higher than female patients (547, 25.8%). The highest frequency of HRI occurred in those aged 50-59(488, 23.0%), showing increasing incidence in older age group. A large portion of male patients was mainly attributable to outdoor works and female to farm works. By time, the number of HRI soared to 552 cases in August 7-13 at the peak, up from 268 cases in July 24-30 and then sharply dropped to 14 in September 4-10, 2016.
By place, 358 cases from Gyounggi, 225 cases from Gyoungnam, and 187 cases from Chunnan were reported in descending order. The total of 17 deaths due to HRI accounted for 14 (82.4%) in male, 8 (47.1%) in those aged >= 60 and 6 (35.3%) by farm works.
Health damage from heat wave could be prevented by following the guidelines for heat wave control. In order to minimize HRI, Division of Strategic Planning for Emerging Infectious Diseases, KCDC is striving to raise public awareness, providing health warnings against HRI every summer.