There has been a significant increase in mosquito-borne diseases, with cases doubling over the past year. (Image courtesy of Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, Feb. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – As international travel picks up pace in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in mosquito-borne diseases, with cases doubling over the past year.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the number of people infected with mosquito-borne diseases surged to 294 last year, marking a 93.4% increase from the 152 cases reported in 2022.
The majority of these cases were reported among travelers returning from Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia.
Dengue fever accounted for the largest number of infections, with cases rising from 103 in 2022 to 206 last year. Dengue is transmitted through bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes and can lead to high fever, headaches, rashes, and muscle pain after an incubation period of five to seven days.
Globally, dengue fever saw a significant spike in cases, with over 6 million people infected in 92 countries last year, a 58% increase from the 4.1 million cases in 2022. The Americas and Southeast Asia were the regions most affected by the outbreak.
To prevent mosquito-borne diseases, travelers are advised to check the infection status of their destination countries on international disease information websites (overseasdisease.go.kr) or the KDCA website (www.kdca.go.kr) before traveling.
It is crucial to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants and use mosquito repellents while traveling. Additionally, diseases like dengue fever, chikungunya fever, and Zika virus infection, which were designated as quarantine infectious diseases in December last year, require travelers to accurately report their health status through the Quarantine Information Pre-entry System (Q-CODE) or a health questionnaire upon entry.
The KDCA also issued a warning about measles, which has seen a resurgence following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and an increase in overseas travel. Although there were no measles cases during the pandemic, eight cases were reported last year, and already five infections have been recorded this year.
Even for those staying within the country during the Lunar New Year holidays, caution is advised against norovirus infections, which have seen 1,535 cases in the first four weeks of this year alone—nearly double the average of 846.2 cases during the same period over the past five years. Norovirus, which typically occurs from winter to early spring (November to April), can cause symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea within 12-48 hours of infection, along with possible abdominal pain, chills, and fever in some individuals.
In response to these health concerns, the KDCA has extended its emergency disease control system through February 18, marking the first Lunar New Year holiday under relaxed COVID-19 measures.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
