Epidemic diseases are being brought back from overseas as more tourists visit foreign countries for their summer vacations.
The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that about 120 overseas visitors were diagnosed with infectious diseases. Among them, 35 had dengue fever, which causes sever headaches, muscle and joint pain and rashes, and is sometimes fatal. The number of dengue fever patients from overseas increased from 16 in 2004 to 34 in 2005 and 36 last year.
Also, malaria, one of the most common diseases to watch out for, had a strong infection rate among tourists, too. The disease that causes high fever, convulsions and nausea has struck 18 tourists already.
Cholera, mostly caught through eating raw fish, crabs or clams, was also found in four people.