Flu Patients Surge 32% in a Week... Concerns Over Worsening Twindemic

55.4 Suspected Flu Patients per 1,000... Exceeding Epidemic Threshold
COVID-19 Epidemic Continues... 3.5% Increase Compared to Last Week

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the number of influenza (flu) patients in winter has surged by over 30% in one week, signaling the full onset of the twin-demic (simultaneous outbreak of COVID-19 and flu).

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on the 30th, the number of suspected flu patients recorded at 197 nationwide influenza sentinel surveillance medical institutions over the past week (December 18?24) was 55.4 per 1,000 outpatients, a 32.2% increase from 41.9 the previous week. This figure exceeds the 2022?2023 flu season epidemic threshold of 4.9 by more than tenfold.

A children's hospital located in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

In particular, flu cases among infants (ages 1?6) and children (ages 7?12) have risen sharply. Among infants, suspected cases surged 57.7%, from 37.6 to 59.3 per 1,000 outpatients within a week, while children increased by 37.3%, from 101 to 138.7. Compared to a month ago, suspected flu cases among infants and children have increased by 3.17 times and 3.19 times, respectively.

Among adolescents aged 13?18, who showed a steep increase in this flu outbreak, suspected cases slightly decreased to 131.2 from 135 in the previous week but remain at a high level. Other age groups also exceeded the epidemic threshold for suspected flu cases: adults aged 19?49 at 56.4, ages 50?64 at 18.6, infants under 1 year at 15.0, and seniors 65 and older at 7.1 per 1,000 outpatients.

The COVID-19 outbreak is also ongoing. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, the average daily new confirmed cases during the week of December 11?17 were 67,321, a 3.5% increase from the previous week. The average daily number of severe cases and deaths during the week increased by 13.8% and 20.7%, respectively, compared to the previous week.

The effective reproduction number (Rt) remained above 1 for 10 consecutive weeks at 1.04. The reproduction number quantifies how many people one infected person transmits the virus to; a value above 1 indicates epidemic spread, while below 1 indicates containment.

The reinfection rate of COVID-19 is also rising. The estimated reinfection rate in the second week of December was 17.1%, up 1.2 percentage points from 15.9% the previous week.

Last October, a citizen received a flu vaccination at Seoul Station. Photo by Yonhap News

The KDCA urged vaccination to prevent the flu. Free vaccinations are available for ▲children aged 6 months to 13 years (born between 2009 and August 31, 2022) ▲pregnant women ▲and seniors aged 65 and older (born on or before December 31, 1957).

Personal hygiene management is also important. Flu is transmitted when droplets from infected patients enter the respiratory tract or by touching objects contaminated with the influenza virus. Therefore, it is essential to wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Masks should be worn in crowded places or poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

Meanwhile, the government stated it will cautiously decide on lifting the indoor mask mandate, considering the infectious disease situation in China and other countries. On the 30th, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said during a COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting at the Government Seoul Office, "If external situations lead to domestic transmission, we will fully consult experts before adjusting the indoor mask mandate," adding, "The lifting of the indoor mask mandate may be delayed somewhat beyond expectations."

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