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Korea reports 1st case of brain-eating amoeba infection

The three stages in the life cycle of Naegleria fowleri ― cyst, trophozoite, and flagellated forms ― are displayed in this image. Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and PreventionBy Lee Hyo-jin Korea has identified its first case of Naegleria fowleri infection. A man in his 50s, who died 10 days after displaying symptoms of the rare but highly lethal infection, is suspected of being exposed to the brain-eating amoeba in Thailand.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) confirmed, Monday, that the Korean man who had stayed in Thailand for four months before entering Korea on Dec. 10, died after being infected with Naegleria fowleri.The patient began to show symptoms of meningitis, such as headaches, fever, vomiting, slurred speech and stiffness of the neck on the evening of his arrival, and was transferred to an emergency room the next day.After he was pronounced dead on Dec. 21, health authorities conducted further tests to confirm the exact cause of death, which was found to be a Naegleria fowleri infection.This is the first official case of a Naegleria fowleri in

Dec 26, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea reports 1st case of brain-eating amoeba infection

First infection of 'Brain-eating amoeba' reported in Korea

This photo shows Naegleria fowleri, or "brain-eating amoeba" / Courtesy of KDCAThe first infection from Naegleria fowleri, or "brain-eating amoeba," has been reported in Korea, the health authorities said Monday.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) confirmed that a Korean national who died after returning from Thailand was infected with Naegleria fowleri, which destroys human brains.The man in his 50s came back to Korea on Dec. 10 after a four-month stay in the Southeast Asian country and was admitted to a hospital next day. He died on Tuesday last week.This is the first known infection from the disease in the country, which was first reported in the United States in 1937.This image created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency shows the life cycle of Naegleria fowleri. YonhapNaegleria fowleri is an amoeba commonly found in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, canals and ponds throughout the world. The amoeba is inhaled through the nose and travels to the brain to destroy brain tissue.The KDC

Dec 26, 2022
First infection of 'Brain-eating amoeba' reported in Korea

Korea to face shortage of doctors

A surgeon performs heart surgery in an operating room. Korea Times file.By Lee Yeon-wooIn the near future, Korea will face a shortage of doctors in several areas of specialties if the supply of doctors remains the same, according to recent research by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA).It said 14,334 more doctors will be needed in 2030, which will rise to 27,232 more in 2035.Physicians, such as pediatricians and neurologists, will be in shortest supply in 2035. The shortages of surgeons, such as orthopedists and obstetricians, will be acute as well. They were followed by anesthesiologists and pathologists (7,450) and general physicians (1,032).A larger workforce is expected in 2035 only for preventive medicine.“Except for the department of preventive medicine, every department ― from 2025 to 2030 ― will suffer from shortages of practicing doctors despite rising healthcare demand in the future,” the research said. The KIHASA put together the data based on low birth rates, aging and changes in disease structures.To meet the balance, KIHASA explained

Dec 25, 2022By Lee Yeon-woo
Korea to face shortage of doctors

COVID-19 cases below 70,000 for 3rd day

A sign informs customers that they are required to wear a mask at a shopping mall in Seoul despite eased virus curbs, Dec. 23. YonhapKorea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 70,000 for the third straight day Sunday, as the government is seeking to phase out mask-wearing regulations in certain places.The country confirmed 58,448 new coronavirus infections, including 64 from overseas, bringing the total to 28,659,055, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily caseload jumped to 88,160 on Wednesday but has been on the decline through Sunday. Concerns still remain, however, over a possible wintertime surge. The KDCA reported 46 more COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 31,790. The number of critically ill patients stood at 592, up 58 from the previous day.Last week, health authorities announced plans to scrap the indoor mask mandate in phases and a set of criteria that need to be satisfied to implement the mask-free policy. The four criteria are a stable number of new infections, a downtrend in critically ill cases and deaths, medical response capabilit

Dec 25, 2022
COVID-19 cases below 70,000 for 3rd day

COVID-19 cases below 70,000 for 2nd day; deaths hit 3-month high

Medical personnel watch a screen monitoring the negative pressure treatment ward at the National Medical Center in central Seoul, Dec. 20. YonhapKorea's new COVID-19 cases remained below 70,000 for the second straight day Saturday, while new coronavirus-related deaths hit a three-month high. The country reported 66,211 new COVID-19 infections, including 66 from overseas, bringing the total to 28,600,607, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The number of newly infected cases is down from 68,168 a day earlier and 66,930 a week ago. The daily tally slightly decreased after hitting a three-month high Tuesday amid concerns about a possible wintertime surge of the virus. The KDCA reported 70 more COVID-19 deaths, the most in three months, raising the death toll to 31,744. The fatality rate stood at 0.12 percent for men and 0.11 for women. The number of critically ill patients stood at 534, up by four from the previous day.Despite the spread of the virus, the government on Friday announced plans to scrap the indoor mask mandate in phases and a set of criteria that n

Dec 24, 2022
COVID-19 cases below 70,000 for 2nd day; deaths hit 3-month high

Experts split over Korea's roadmap to lifting indoor mask mandate

A sign installed in a shopping mall in Seoul, Thursday, reads that visitors are required to wear a face mask inside the store. Yonhap Country may go mask-free from end of January at the earliest: KDCA chiefBy Lee Hyo-jin The government unveiled, Friday, a detailed roadmap on lifting the indoor mask mandate, cautiously predicting that it may be scrapped by the end of January at the earliest. Yet medical experts are still debating whether the country is ready to ditch the indoor mask rule, one of the last remaining COVID-19 restrictions in Korea. While some doctors viewed that masks should now be more of a personal choice, others expressed concerns that the premature lifting of the mandate may put vulnerable groups at risk.The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced that the relaxation of the mask mandate will come in two phases. In the first phase, masks will no longer be a requirement ― but a recommendation ― in public places except for hi

Dec 23, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Experts split over Korea's roadmap to lifting indoor mask mandate

ANALYSIS How healthcare reform has become President Yoon's policy priority

gettyimagesbankBy Lee Hyo-jin Korea is one of the leading countries in healthcare services. Medical services are widely accessible to the public, thanks to the solid health insurance program, which protects patients from catastrophic medical bills. In the last few years, however, critics have been sounding the alarm over the financial stability of the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), as healthcare spending has been on the rise. The annual healthcare expenditures for 2022 are expected to hit a record high of over 100 trillion won, double that of 51 trillion won in 2011, according to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.The NHIS is currently holding 21.2 trillion won in reserves, but the funds are expected to decrease rapidly next year, to a possible deficit of 6.4 trillion won by 2028. In other words, at this pace, the national health insurance program may run out of money in less than six years. Against this backdrop, the health ministry has recently announced reform plans aimed at improving the spending efficiency of the NHIS. It will apply stricter standards on ins

Dec 23, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
[ANALYSIS] How healthcare reform has become President Yoon's policy priority

Gov't to downgrade indoor mask mandate to recommendation if criteria are met

Ruling People Power Party lawmakers and government officials attend a policy consultation meeting on lifting the indoor mask mandate at the National Assembly in Seoul, Dec. 22. YonhapThe government plans to downgrade the indoor mask mandate, the country's last remaining COVID-19 restriction, to a recommendation if specific criteria are met, a ruling party lawmaker quoted health authorities as saying Thursday.Korea has been mulling lifting the indoor mask requirement in phases starting next month as critics questioned its efficacy over inconveniences and some study results suggested sufficient immunity among the population.Still, the mandate will remain in place at high-risk facilities like sanatoriums, hospitals and pharmacies.Shoppers wear masks at a book store in Seoul, Dec. 4. Yonhap"Health authorities reported on their plan to lift the indoor mask mandate and change it to a recommendation if certain criteria are met," Rep. Sung Il-jong, the chief policymaker of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), said in a briefing after a policy consultation meeting with government officials."T

Dec 22, 2022
Gov't to downgrade indoor mask mandate to recommendation if criteria are met

Korea urged to prepare for new COVID-19 variants from China

A healthcare worker in protective gear carries yellow bags of medical waste from a clinic in Beijing, Monday. Chinese health authorities on Monday announced two additional COVID-19 deaths, both in the capital Beijing, that were the first reported in weeks and come during an expected surge of illnesses after the nation eased its strict zero-COVID approach. AP-YonhapNext variant likely to emerge in China: expertsBy Lee Hyo-jin Korea should brace for a possible influx of new coronavirus variants from China, says local medical experts, who worry that the neighboring country's abrupt reopening policies could spawn mutations of the virus.After the Chinese government abruptly rolled back its yearslong zero-COVID-19 strategy earlier this month, the nation is currently facing what could possibly be the world's biggest pandemic outbreak. Some scientists project China to see up to one million deaths over the next few months if the authorities fail to flatten the curve.Although the scale of human movements between Korea and China has not fully returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, about 250,000 Chine

Dec 20, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea urged to prepare for new COVID-19 variants from China

Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit over 3-month high amid winter wave

People wait in line to take COVID-19 tests at a temporary testing booth in Seoul's Yongsan Ward, Dec. 20. YonhapKorea's new COVID-19 cases hit over 87,000 on Tuesday, the largest number in more than three months, as the winter virus wave takes hold. The country reported 87,559 new COVID-19 infections, including 74 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 28,302,474, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Tuesday's count is the highest since 93,949 on Sept. 14. Korea has seen a steady rebound in daily infections over the past several weeks amid fears of a winter resurgence. The per-day counts exceeded 80,000 on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. On Tuesday, the KDCA reported 56 more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 31,490. The fatality rate stood at 0.11 percent. The number of critically ill patients stood at 519, down 16 from the previous day. The rebound in the virus curve puts pressure on the government's push to lift the indoor mask mandate, the last remaining COVID-19 restriction in Korea since the virus outbreak nearly three years ago. Healt

Dec 20, 2022
Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit over 3-month high amid winter wave
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