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2 clusters · 8 sources · 14 days · First seen · Last updated

South Korea autumn tick-borne disease prevention

Overview

To prevent scrub typhus outbreaks during the autumn season, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) initiated a 16-week nationwide monitoring program. This surveillance, running from late September through mid-December, focuses on 18 high-risk locations including rice paddies, grasslands, and waterways to track chigger populations.

As the autumn harvest and holiday seasons approach, health authorities have issued warnings regarding a surge in tick-borne infectious diseases. Beyond scrub typhus, officials expressed concern over Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), noting it lacks an effective vaccine and carries a fatality rate of approximately 20%.

In regions like Gangwon State, officials are urging citizens to take precautions during outdoor activities such as weeding or visiting graves. Recommended preventive measures include wearing long sleeves, long pants, and gloves, using insect repellents, and washing thoroughly after being outdoors.

Entities

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency · Rural Development Administration · Gangwon State Institute of Health and Environment · Lim Seung-kwan

Timeline

  1. 3 days ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    South Korea issues health warnings over rising autumn tick-borne diseases

    South Korean health authorities warn of rising tick-borne diseases like scrub typhus and SFTS during the autumn harvest and Chuseok holidays, urging skin protection and immediate medical care for symptoms.

  2. 17 days ago

    [HEALTH] 7 sources
    Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency launches nationwide chigger monitoring

    The KDCA has initiated a 16-week nationwide monitoring program for chiggers to prevent autumn scrub typhus outbreaks in South Korea, focusing on high-risk outdoor areas.

Sources

english.hani.co.kr · hani.co.kr · idsn.co.kr · isntimes.co.kr · jnilbo.com · kormedi.com · m.sportalkorea.com · namdonews.com