No vaccine or treatment available - SFTS patients emerge in South Korea with a ”mortality rate of 18.5%”

The first case of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) has been reported in South Korea this year, and health authorities are calling for prevention.
(Namwon) A woman in her 80s living in the city was bitten by a tick while working on farmwork near her home. She developed symptoms of vomiting, fever, general fatigue, and loss of appetite, and underwent a definitive SFTS test at a medical institution.
The first cases of SFTS this year were reported around the same time as in the past three years: April 11 in 2022, April 5 in 2023, and April 18 in 2024.
The first patient was reported on the 23rd of the same month. SFTS is mainly transmitted from April to November by being bitten by a tick carrying the SFTS virus. After being bitten, patients develop a high fever within two weeks.
It is an infectious disease that causes symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, and if it becomes severe, it can lead to a decrease in platelets and white blood cells, and even death.
Since SFTS was designated a legal infectious disease in 2013, a total of 2,065 people have been diagnosed with the disease as of last year.
Of these, 381 people died, with a fatality rate of about 18.5%. By region, the highest number of patients was in Gyeonggi Province with 344 cases (16.7%), followed by Gyeonggi Province with 266 cases (16.7%).
The top three were Wondo (Gangwon Province) with 290 cases (14.0%), Gyeongsangbuk-do with 279 cases (13.5%), and Gyeongsangnam-do with 193 cases (9.3%).
There is no cure or vaccine for SFTS, so prevention is considered the best option. In order to detect patients early and treat them at the appropriate time, medical institutions are conducting screening for fever and gastrointestinal symptoms during periods when the incidence of SFTS is high.
When a patient comes to the hospital complaining of these symptoms, it is essential to confirm whether they have engaged in outdoor activities such as farm work, picking wild vegetables, weeding, golfing, or mountain climbing within the past 15 days.
To date, a total of 30 cases of SFTS infection without tick bites have been reported, 27 of which were health care workers.
The infection was contracted during the diagnosis and treatment of SFTS patients and suspected cases in a medical facility. Healthcare workers should adhere to standard and contact precautions, especially those excreting high concentrations of the virus.
When treating patients who are expected to be seriously ill, it is necessary to thoroughly wear personal protective equipment such as masks, goggles, and gloves and avoid contact in order to prevent infection.
Ji Young-mi, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "SFTS cases are occurring all over the country, and they are particularly common after farm work or outdoor activities.
To prevent this, people should wear long sleeves, long pants, hats, socks, etc. to reduce exposed skin, and use insect repellent, etc., and "if high fever or gastrointestinal symptoms appear within two weeks after outdoor activities, seek medical attention immediately."
We urge you to seek medical attention."