A 62-year-old man died of heatstroke last week in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, health authorities said Wednesday. This is the first time a heatstroke death has been reported in South Korea this year.

Korea has endured unusually warm weather this year since spring.

The average temperature in May was 18.6 degrees Celsius this year, making it the warmest May dating back to 1973.

The highest temperature during the month was 32.4 degrees on May 19 in Ichon, Gyeonggi Province.

Last year, the first heatstroke death was reported on July 28, much later than this year’s case that occurred on June 25.

“We recommend all citizens be careful of the heat, especially children, the elderly, those who work outdoors and those with chronic health conditions,” said the Health Ministry in a statement issued Wednesday.

The Korea Centers for Disease Prevention and Control have been monitoring Koreans who seek medical help for heat-related illnesses since May 23.

From May 23 to June 25, 122 Koreans were treated for such ailments, including heatstroke. Last year, fewer patients – 101 -- visited health clinics for heat-related conditions in the same time period.

Among the 122 patients reported this year, 71 percent of them were male. Also, 30.7 percent of all patients were aged 65 or older. The largest number of them, 61 individuals, were brought to medical professionals because of heat exhaustion, followed by those who had hyperthermia (30) and heat cramps (10). Almost 87 percent of them developed heat-related ailments after spending time outdoors, such as farms and mountains.

In order to prevent heatstroke, the Health Ministry recommends wearing lightweight, light-colored clothing, using sunscreen and drinking extra fluids. It’s generally recommended to drink at least eight glasses of water daily during summer.

Last year, 1,056 Koreans sought medical help for heat-related conditions. Among them, 11 died.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)