Rapid Surge in Flu Patients During Cold Winter... "Vaccination for Vulnerable Groups"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] As the weather gets colder, the number of flu patients is rapidly increasing. Health authorities have urged the elderly and children, who may be vulnerable to the flu, to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on the 24th, the number of suspected flu patients reported by 197 sentinel surveillance medical institutions nationwide over the past week (December 11?17) was 41.9 per 1,000 outpatients, a 38% increase compared to the previous week (30.3). This means that out of every 1,000 people visiting hospitals and clinics, 41 to 42 showed flu symptoms such as high fever above 38℃, cough, and sore throat. This figure is more than eight times the seasonal flu epidemic threshold of 4.9 suspected patients per 1,000 outpatients.

The number of children and adolescent patients is rapidly increasing. The suspected patient rate for those aged 13 to 18 was 135 per 1,000, reaching 27.5 times the epidemic threshold. For children aged 7 to 12, the suspected patient rate jumped over 70% from 58.9 to 101.0 per 1,000 within a week. Since the flu season typically peaks in January, the number of patients is likely to continue rising for the time being.

The KDCA has been conducting a national vaccination program since September targeting the elderly, children, and pregnant women. The flu vaccination for the elderly at designated medical institutions is scheduled to end on the 31st, so the KDCA urges all seniors aged 65 and older to get vaccinated within this year.

Additionally, the KDCA emphasized the importance of vaccination for children aged 6 months to under 13 years, as flu incidence is high in group settings, to prevent further transmission within families. When infants or students are infected with the flu, to prevent spread within groups, they should not attend daycare or school until 24 hours after their body temperature returns to normal without the use of fever reducers.

The KDCA also reminded that since the flu spreads through droplets, people should practice handwashing before and after coughing and observe proper cough etiquette in public places.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.