As the summer heat persists, health officials are warning that heat-related illness can strike even in the morning hours. The number of heat illness cases recorded between 6 and 10 a.m. has jumped to about 1.5 times the figure from the same period last year.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it is working to prevent heat-related health risks by operating an emergency room surveillance system to closely track heat illness trends and by strengthening health management for vulnerable residents as the peak heat season gets underway.
Heat illness is an acute condition caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness and muscle cramps, and in severe cases it can be life-threatening.
To quickly identify heat illness trends and gather information on at-risk groups, the city has been running a "heat illness emergency room surveillance system" since May 15, with 71 hospitals equipped with emergency rooms participating. As of the monitoring period through Wednesday, a total of 110 heat illness cases had been recorded in Seoul — 49 fewer than the 159 cases logged during the same period last year.
A notable shift, however, is the sharp rise in morning cases. The number of patients recorded between 6 and 10 a.m. jumped to 32 this year, up from 22 during the same period last year — roughly 1.5 times the previous figure.
Data from the surveillance system over the past three years show that Seoul's heat illness cases are disproportionately concentrated among those aged 65 and older, during morning hours and along roadsides. Residents 65 and older accounted for 37.1 percent of cases, well above the national average. Cases in the morning hours between 6 and 11 a.m. made up 24.4 percent, compared with 18.9 percent nationally, and patients found along roadsides accounted for 31.4 percent of the total.
In response, the city is stepping up heat-related outreach through its home visit health management program to protect older residents, who are particularly vulnerable to heat illness. Given that 37.1 percent of Seoul's heat illness patients over the past three years were aged 65 or older, the city is proactively managing the health of vulnerable groups including elderly people living alone, people with disabilities and those with chronic conditions.
Visiting nurses from the city and its 25 autonomous districts are checking on vulnerable residents through home visits and phone monitoring, providing guidance on heat response measures and health management tips. The city is also distributing cooling supplies such as neck coolers and parasols, and actively promoting heat illness prevention guidelines to keep vulnerable residents safe.
A recent report by the Seoul Institute — issue No. 601 of its "Global City Policy Trends" series, titled "Diagnosing Heat Risk" — noted that "heat-related harm does not affect all residents equally," adding that "the more residential conditions, cooling access, energy costs and health status overlap, the greater the indoor heat risk at the household level." The finding underscores that heat waves pose a greater danger to health-vulnerable populations.
"Heat illness is now occurring even in the morning hours, when the weather tends to feel relatively cool, so people need to take extra care with physical activities such as exercise and leisure in the morning as well," said Jo Yeong-chang, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Public Health Bureau. "Even if you do not feel thirsty, please follow the basic health guidelines: drink water frequently, stay cool, and rest during the hottest parts of the day."
ikson@heraldcorp.com
