Nearly 100 patients suffering heat-related illnesses were treated at emergency rooms nationwide on Saturday as the scorching heat persisted.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) on Sunday, 96 people were treated in the emergency rooms at 504 medical institutions.

A person in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province died of suspected heat-related illness. 

The cumulative patient tally since May 20, when a monitoring system was activated, stands at one-thousand-719 nationwide, including 21 suspected deaths.

Compared to the same period of last year, the number of patients rose by 45-point-three percent, and the suspected deaths also increased three-point-five times from six of last year.

According to KDCA, the daily average number of patients surpassed 100 in the first five days of this month, with a fatality reported every day.