Unusual rise in flu cases among 7- to 12-year-olds, health agency expects outbreak advisory this week

Influenza cases in South Korea have risen unusually early, with the sharpest increase among school-age children. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said the rise began in late August and accelerated around the start of the school year.

At a meeting on respiratory infections, agency commissioner Lim Seung-kwan said the suspected influenza rate for the 36th week, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, was expected to exceed the threshold for an outbreak advisory. In the 35th week, the rate stood at 13.3 suspected cases per 1,000 outpatients, compared with 6.4 during the same period a year earlier.

Emergency-room visits by people suspected of having influenza rose from 373 in the 32nd week to 1,606 in the 35th week. The highest rate appeared among children aged 7 to 12, at 36.5 cases per 1,000 outpatients. The figures were 22.6 for children aged 1 to 6 and 14.9 for adults aged 19 to 49.

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Recent influenza cases in South Korea have been increasing unusually since late August, and cases among children and adolescents have been rising rapidly, especially around the start of the school year.

The influenza virus detection rate also increased, reaching 12.3 percent in the 35th week from 10 percent the previous week. Japan and China have also reported earlier or higher activity. Japan's rate reached 1.76 reported cases per institution, above the threshold of 1 for the start of an outbreak. South Korea's health agency said modelling suggested the coming season could match last year's scale but last longer.

COVID-19 cases are rising as well, although at a much lower level than last year. The number of hospitalized patients reached 109 in the 35th week, below 406 a year earlier, but increased for six consecutive weeks.

The agency will begin a phased influenza vaccination programme on the 21st, starting with children aged 6 months to 14 years and pregnant women. It advised people to cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing, discard used tissues immediately and wash their hands. It also urged older people and other high-risk groups to seek prompt medical care to reduce the risk of severe illness such as pneumonia.

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Given the recent upward trend, we expect the proportion of suspected influenza patients in the 36th week to exceed the threshold for issuing an outbreak advisory.