Nationwide influenza warning issued... ”High-risk groups should get vaccinated immediately” = South Korea

South Korea's quarantine authorities will issue a flu epidemic warning nationwide on the 20th. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on the afternoon of the 19th that they would be issuing a flu epidemic warning due to the increase in the number of flu patients.
Prior to this, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) explained that the decision was made after reviewing the situation at the second joint task force meeting of ministries and agencies related to respiratory infections, chaired by the director-general, on the 18th.
This epidemic warning is the first in five months. The last was issued in September 2022 and was lifted 22 months later in July this year.
As a result of influenza specimen monitoring at 300 hospitals conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 50 suspected cases of influenza between the 8th and 14th of this year.
The incidence rate of patients with HIV was calculated to be 13.6 per 1,000 people, exceeding the current epidemic standard (8.6).
In the 47th week, the number was 4.8, in the 48th week, 5.7, and in the 49th week, 7.3.
The number of patients suspected of having influenza increased in 300 locations. By age, the highest number of cases was 13-18 years old, with 36.9 cases in the 50th week of the year, followed by those aged 7-18.
The order was 2 years old (24.7 cases), and 19-49 years old (18.2 cases). The CDC said that the influenza virus currently circulating is type A, which is very similar to the vaccine strain for this season, and that
"We are preparing for the possibility that the winter influenza epidemic will spread further, and we are working to prevent infections in those at higher risk, such as the elderly and those with weakened immune systems," said Ji Young-mi, head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"I urge those at high risk, pregnant women, and children who have not yet received a flu vaccination to hurry up and get vaccinated."