Flu cases rise for 4 straight weeks, 14 times higher than a year ago

Children wait for treatment at Woori Children’s Hospital in Seoul’s Seongbuk District as flu cases surge, Nov. 11. Yonhap

Influenza cases have continued to rise for four consecutive weeks, reaching a level about 14 times higher than the same period last year, with the spread concentrated among school-aged children and teenagers.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), sample surveillance at clinic-level medical institutions shows that during the 46th week of the year, from Nov. 9 to 15, an estimated 66.3 influenza-like illness patients per 1,000 outpatients visited 300 monitored clinics nationwide.

The figure represents a 30.8 percent increase from the previous week’s 50.7 patients per 1,000.

Suspected flu cases climbed from 7.9 per 1,000 patients in the 42nd week of the year to 13.6 in the 43rd week, 22.8 in the 44th week and 50.7 in the 45th week. The number for the 46th week is 14.4 times higher than the same period last year, which recorded 4.6 patients per 1,000.

By age, suspected cases reached 170.4 per 1,000 among children aged 7 to 12 and 112.6 among teenagers aged 13 to 18, showing that the spread is concentrated among school-aged youths.

Health authorities are urging the public to receive influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations ahead of winter. Since Sept. 22, the government has been providing national immunization programs for older adults, young children and pregnant women.

“The influenza virus currently circulating is type A (H3N2). Although some mutations have been identified, the vaccines being administered remain effective,” the KDCA said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.