Results of Operating the 2025 "Heat-related Illness Emergency Department Surveillance System".
- 1Division of Climate Change and Health Hazard, Department of Health Hazard Response, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the characteristics and health impacts of heat-related illnesses during the summer of 2025 in the Republic of Korea and to provide evidence for prevention and response measures to minimize heat-related health risks associated with climate change. Since 2011, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has operated the nationwide "Heat-related Illness Emergency Department Surveillance System." Between May 15 and September 25, 2025, data on patients with heat-related illnesses and suspected heat-related deaths were collected from 517 participating emergency departments through the "Disease and Health Integrated Management System." These data were analyzed based on major epidemiological characteristics, including sex, age, type of illness, region, and place of occurrence. Daily surveillance results were publicly released on the KDCA website. A total of 4,460 heat-related illness cases and 29 suspected deaths were reported in 2025. Compared with 2024, the cases increased by 20.4%, whereas suspected deaths decreased by 14.7%. Most patients were male (79.7%), with individuals aged 50-59 years accounting for the largest proportion of cases (19.4%). Older adults aged ≥65 years accounted for 30.1% of all cases and 58.6% of deaths. Heat exhaustion was the most common diagnosis (62.0%), and most incidents occurred outdoors (79.2%), particularly in workplaces (32.1%) and farms (12.2%) or fields. Heat-related illnesses predominantly affected older adults and outdoor workers during the summer of 2025. Strengthening prevention measures targeting vulnerable populations, timely dissemination of public information, and interagency collaboration are needed to reduce the growing health impacts of heat waves associated with climate change.
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BibTeX
@article{chae2026results,
title = {{Results of Operating the 2025 "Heat-related Illness Emergency Department Surveillance System".}},
author = {Jisuk Chae and Eunji Jung and Daeshik An and Younjhin Ahn},
journal = {Public health weekly report},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.56786/phwr.2026.19.42.2},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996796},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Results of Operating the 2025 "Heat-related Illness Emergency Department Surveillance System".
AU - Jisuk Chae
AU - Eunji Jung
AU - Daeshik An
AU - Younjhin Ahn
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
JO - Public health weekly report
DO - 10.56786/phwr.2026.19.42.2
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996796
AB - This study aimed to analyze the characteristics and health impacts of heat-related illnesses during the summer of 2025 in the Republic of Korea and to provide evidence for prevention and response measures to minimize heat-related health risks associated with climate change. Since 2011, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has operated the nationwide "Heat-related Illness Emergency Department Surveillance System." Between May 15 and September 25, 2025, data on patients with heat-related illnesses and suspected heat-related deaths were collected from 517 participating emergency departments through the "Disease and Health Integrated Management System." These data were analyzed based on major epidemiological characteristics, including sex, age, type of illness, region, and place of occurrence. Daily surveillance results were publicly released on the KDCA website. A total of 4,460 heat-related illness cases and 29 suspected deaths were reported in 2025. Compared with 2024, the cases increased by 20.4%, whereas suspected deaths decreased by 14.7%. Most patients were male (79.7%), with individuals aged 50-59 years accounting for the largest proportion of cases (19.4%). Older adults aged ≥65 years accounted for 30.1% of all cases and 58.6% of deaths. Heat exhaustion was the most common diagnosis (62.0%), and most incidents occurred outdoors (79.2%), particularly in workplaces (32.1%) and farms (12.2%) or fields. Heat-related illnesses predominantly affected older adults and outdoor workers during the summer of 2025. Strengthening prevention measures targeting vulnerable populations, timely dissemination of public information, and interagency collaboration are needed to reduce the growing health impacts of heat waves associated with climate change.
SN - 3092-491X
SN - 2586-0860
ER -