By Kim Se-jeong
Last week’s heat wave killed seven people across the country, according to the state-run disease control center.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDCP) said Tuesday that seven people died from heatstroke between July 26 and Aug. 1.
The figure is much higher than last year’s total of one death. In 2013, 14 died of heatstroke, there were 15 in 2012 and six in 2011.
The number of patients treated for heatstroke last week was also high, 307, almost half the total number of cases reported this year, 616. It was also more than sevenfold the figure of the previous week, 42.
Among the patients, 60 percent were in their 60s or older. A 79-year-old woman died while working on her farm in Gimje, South Jeolla Province, on Saturday.
Diarrhea, headaches, nausea, vomiting and dizziness are major symptoms of heatstroke, according to the KCDC.
The number of victims will likely rise as the heat wave is expected to continue throughout Korea this week.
On Tuesday, the nation’s weather agency issued heat wave advisories for most parts of the country. The warnings are expected to continue until the weekend. The midday high in Pohang was 37 degrees Celsius, while Daegu was 36 degrees, Gangneung 35 degrees and Seoul 32 degrees.
A recent survey showed age and poverty make people more vulnerable to the heat.
In a survey conducted by the Energy Network last month on 160 people from less-privileged areas of the country, 86 percent of them relied on electronic fans to cope with the heat, while only 8 percent said they had an air conditioning at home.
Sixty percent said they suffered from dizziness because of the heat, while 6 percent said they have fainted. Eighty percent were 60 years old or older, and 58 percent lived on government subsidies.
The heat wave has killed many animals as well.
According to NongHyup Property & Casualty Insurance, the number of chickens, ducks and pigs that have died from heatstroke was more than 1.23 million between June 28 and Aug. 2. The company’s expected insurance payouts will be more than 3.1 billion won.