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Flu cases spike nearly 14-fold as concern mounts over rapid spread of respiratory illnesses

Published: 10 Jan. 2025, 13:17

SEO JI-EUN
[email protected]

A notice board shows trends in respiratory disease cases at a pediatric clinic in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Jan. 10, amid a sharp rise in influenza and other respiratory illnesses. [YONHAP]

Flu cases in Korea have spiked 13.7 times over the past four weeks, raising alarms about the rapid spread of the virus and the simultaneous circulation of other respiratory illnesses.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported on Friday that the number of suspected flu patients per 1,000 outpatient visits rose to 99.8 in the first week of January, a 1.4-fold increase from 73.9 the previous week. Last week's figure already marked the highest level in eight years, surpassing the record of 86.2 set in 2016.

All age groups are seeing a rise in cases, but children and adolescents are leading the surge.

Among those aged 13 to 18, the rate of suspected flu cases has reached 177.4 per 1,000 outpatients, and the rate is 161.6 among those aged 7 to 12.

Flu-related hospitalizations also surged, nearly doubling from 795 cases at the beginning of 2023 to 1,452 cases this year, based on data from sample medical institutions.

KDCA attributed the outbreak to the Covid-19 pandemic leaving many individuals without flu antibodies due to reduced exposure over the past three years. A sudden drop in temperatures after an unusually warm late autumn, along with the concurrent circulation of influenza subtypes A(H1N1) and A(H3N2), further fueled the spread, health authorities said.

“With sharp temperature drops and a significant influenza outbreak compared to previous years, concerns are growing over the simultaneous spread of various respiratory infections,” KDCA Commissioner Jee Young-mee said during a government meeting on Thursday.

She anticipated that the flu outbreak would peak "within one to two weeks," following patterns observed in previous years where cases typically declined after schools began their winter break in January.

The agency urged high-risk groups, including the elderly, pregnant women and children, to get vaccinated immediately if they have not already done so. Preventive measures such as frequent hand washing, proper coughing etiquette and adequate ventilation were also emphasized to curb the spread of the virus.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]