Why you shouldn’t sit on grass in Korea without a mat this autumn
A person sits on a mat at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul. Health authorities advise people not to sit or lie directly on grass without a mat to prevent tick bites. Yonhap
Health authorities are urging caution against tick-borne infectious diseases such as scrub typhus and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), which occur most frequently in Korea during the months of October and November. The risk is particularly high during the harvest season and as outdoor activities like hiking and camping increase.
Scrub typhus is caused by the bite of larval mites carrying the Orientia tsutsugamushi bacterium. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), around 6,000 cases are reported each year, with infections peaking in autumn. After an incubation period of one to three weeks, symptoms such as chills, fever and headaches typically appear, but are often mistaken for the common cold. While early antibiotic treatment can lead to a full recovery, untreated cases may develop severe complications such as pneumonia, meningitis or kidney failure. Early diagnosis is critical.
SFTS is transmitted by Haemaphysalis longicornis, commonly known as the Asian longhorn tick, which carries the SFTS virus. Roughly 200 cases are reported annually, most of them in October. Symptoms include high fever and vomiting, and the infection has a fatality rate of 18.5 percent — among the highest for vector-borne diseases. Since there is currently no vaccine or specific treatment, the best protection is prevention.
Experts emphasize that avoiding tick bites is the best way to prevent infection. When spending time outdoors, people should wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks to minimize skin exposure, and apply insect repellent. It is also important not to sit or lie directly on grass without a mat, to shower immediately after outdoor activities and to wash clothes thoroughly after being worn outside. Ticks should not be forcibly removed by hand; instead, seek medical help for safe extraction.
Yoon Young-kyung, a professor of infectious diseases at Korea University Anam Hospital, said, “Due to climate change, tick activity is lasting longer every year, increasing the risk of infection.” She added, “If symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, headache or high fever occur within one to three weeks after outdoor activity, it is important to visit a medical institution immediately for treatment.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.