31 Degrees in May... Earliest-Ever Heat-Related Fatality Reported

On the First Day of KDCA's Heat-Related Illness Surveillance System
Man in His 80s in Seoul Dies Amid Unseasonably Early Heat

As unseasonably early heat arrived, the earliest-ever death from a heat-related illness was reported.

According to the heat-related illness emergency room surveillance system of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on May 16, a man in his 80s residing in Seoul was reported to have died from a heat-related illness the previous day. This is the earliest fatality since the KDCA began emergency room surveillance for heat-related illnesses.

On the 14th, when daytime temperatures in Seoul rose to 31 degrees Celsius and hot summer-like weather was observed across the country, a foreigner was seen holding a fan while passing through Seoul Forest in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Since the previous day, the KDCA has been operating the heat-related illness emergency room surveillance system for this year in cooperation with 516 emergency medical institutions nationwide. The system is operated to monitor the status of heat-related illnesses in real time during heatwave periods.

On the first day of the surveillance system's operation, a total of seven cases of heat-related illness were reported nationwide. Among them, one was reported as a presumed fatality.

The previous day's national average maximum temperature was recorded at 28.2 degrees Celsius. In particular, in Seoul, where the fatality occurred, the daytime high reached 31.3 degrees Celsius, marking hotter-than-average weather.

The KDCA urged the public to follow preventive measures against heat-related illnesses, such as reducing outdoor activities and staying well hydrated, especially during periods of rapidly rising temperatures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.