Surge in Pediatric Infectious Disease Patients... "Deaths May Increase Without Preparedness"

The Number of Pediatric and Adolescent Infectious Disease Patients Is Increasing Noticeably
Frontline Pediatric Hospitals: "Pediatric Infectious Diseases Likely to Spread Further This Year"

#Last November, an infant less than two months old died about a week after being diagnosed with pertussis. This was the first domestic death case due to pertussis since statistics began in 2011. The infant reportedly suffered from coughing and phlegm symptoms before being confirmed with pertussis. In September last year, a 9-year-old boy died of pneumonia. It was reported that he was simultaneously infected with COVID-19 and Mycoplasma. Although he began hospitalization treatment three days after onset, he died in less than ten days.

Amid a surge in infectious disease patients mainly among children and adolescents, concerns have been raised that the number of deaths may also increase.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 16th, during the first week of January (December 29, 2024 ? January 4, 2025), the number of patients showing influenza-like symptoms (ILI patients) per 1,000 outpatients visiting 300 nationwide sentinel surveillance medical institutions was 99.8. This is about 1.4 times higher than the previous week and the largest scale in eight years since the respiratory sentinel surveillance system was established in 2016, when it was 86.2.

In particular, the increase in patient numbers among children and adolescents was remarkable. Although patient numbers increased across all age groups, the number of ILI patients per 1,000 was highest among those aged 13?18 at 177.4 and those aged 7?12 at 161.6.

Meanwhile, the Korean Pediatric and Adolescent Hospital Association (KPAHA) held a press conference yesterday at the Korea Hospital Association in Mapo-gu, Seoul, expressing concerns that deaths due to pediatric infectious diseases may also rise.

Choi Yong-jae, president of KPAHA, stated, "Last year, an absolutely unacceptable incident occurred where a child died from pertussis. As the number of patients increases, the number of severe cases will also rise. If the capacity to respond to severe cases were sufficient, it would not be a problem, but if the current situation continues, the number of deaths will also increase."

He added, "Since the COVID-19 pandemic, outbreaks of various pediatric infectious diseases such as influenza, pertussis, Mycoplasma, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) have not stopped. Establishing a system for transferring severe pediatric patients is urgent. Last year, the resignation of residents reduced the capacity of university hospital intensive care units, and it is actually difficult to know the real treatment capacity."

Choi Yong-jae, President of the Korean Pediatric and Adolescent Hospital Association, is giving a greeting at a press conference held on the 15th at the Korea Hospital Association in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Choi Tae-won

Meanwhile, frontline pediatric and adolescent hospitals also forecast that pediatric infectious diseases will spread further this year. According to a survey conducted by KPAHA from the 9th to the 13th targeting chief directors of 43 pediatric and adolescent hospitals, 85% of respondents answered that "pediatric infectious diseases will increase compared to the previous year." Among them, 46% predicted that "the increase will be more than 20%."

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