The number of patients rushed to hospitals for heatstroke over the week through Sunday quadrupled from the week before as the mercury hit 40 degrees Celsius in some cities amid a sweltering heat wave, preliminary data from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency showed Tuesday.
Over that period, 9,105 people sought emergency hospital care for suspected heatstroke across the nation, more than twice the number during the same period last year.
Those age 65 and above accounted for 5,378, making up 59.1% of the total.