The heat wave gripping Korea is not backing down,... with the mercury forecast to hit close to 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country today.<br />And this extreme heat is especially dangerous to the elderly and children.....with experts informing people of ways to stay safe... as the number of patients with heat-related illnesses surge.<br />Lee Seung-jae reports. <br /> To say the weather has been 'hot' in Korea this summer is an understatement... with day after day of blistering temperatures nationwide.<br />The southeastern city of Daegu,... notorious for its summer heat,... is forecast to swelter under a high of 38 degrees Celsius on Friday.<br />Seoul won't be that much cooler at 34 degrees.<br />Temperatures are expected to remain in the 30s for the weekend with heat wave warnings remaining in place.<br /> The heat wave has also led to a rise in the number of casualties,... with over 700 people admitted to hospital due to heat related health conditions.<br />Of that total,... more than 200 people were hospitalized during the past week alone.<br />The number is higher than last year and the year before that.<br /> The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs says as many as 790-thousand livestock in Korea have died as of Tuesday due to the heat.<br />The number is nearly 30 percent more than during the same period last year,...<br />when 600-thousand animals died.<br /> So how can we prevent ourselves from falling foul of the dangerous heat?<br />An expert says it's as simple as remembering three things.<br /><br /> "Many people are concerned about the heat wave. Water, shade and rest. Just follow these 3 things and you can prevent the worst from happening."<br /><br /> With the August heat still ahead of us,... experts advise against children and the elderly spending too much time outside... as they are the most vulnerable to the extreme heat.<br />Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News. <br />