Seoul, Aug 9 (EFE).- South Korea has recorded its highest heat-related deaths this year since 2018, the country’s disease control agency said Wednesday.

Until Tuesday, a total 27 people had lost their lives due to apparent heat-related illness, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

This is the highest since 48 people died due to similar causes in 2018.

The number of people hospitalized for heat-related contingencies, including those who died, amounted to 2,085 individuals as of Tuesday, also the highest in five years.

Senior citizens were most vulnerable as people over the age of 65 accounted for 30.9 percent of the cases.

The number of cases are expected to increase further as the Korean disease control agency records the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities until September.

South Korea has been experiencing a heat wave for the last two weeks, with the mercury touching 38 degrees Celsius. EFE

co-mra/sc