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A child cooling down in a fountain at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul. (Yonhap) |
The number of heatstroke patients in South Korea has surged in the past two days, following a heat wave that hit the country after the end of the rainy season.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on Saturday, 46 people were diagnosed with heatstroke across the country Wednesday and 62 on Thursday, when a heat wave warning was in place for most parts of the country.
The daily tallies represent a sharp increase from the four cases reported Sunday, the agency said.
Heatstroke is a serious medical condition that can be fatal if not treated immediately. It is caused by the body's inability to cool itself down and can lead to a number of symptoms, including a high fever, headaches, confusion and seizures.
Since the country began monitoring heatstroke on May 20, it had reported 868 patients as of Thursday.
About 26.2 percent, or 227, of the total were elderly citizens aged 65 and above.
The KDCA recommended that people take precautions against heatstroke, such as staying indoors if possible and wearing loose-fitting, light-colored clothing and wide-brimmed hats if they have to go outside.
They were also advised to avoid outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day, which is typically from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Yonhap)
