Heat-related illnesses are on the rise nationwide in the wake of a prolonged heat wave.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) on Monday, 59 people were admitted to emergency rooms around the country for heat-related illnesses the previous day, two of whom have died.

Between May 20 and July 6, this year's cumulative count of 859 patients at about 500 emergency rooms jumped 83-point-two percent compared to 469 from a year earlier.

Seven people are assumed to have died from the heat so far this year, more than double the tally of three from the same period last year.

Fifty-four-point-six percent of the patients experienced heat exhaustion, followed by 20-point-one percent suffering heatstroke, and 13-point-seven percent reporting heat cramps.