A person receiving a flu vaccination. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — More than 2.3 million people in South Korea sought medical treatment for influenza last year, marking the second consecutive year flu cases have exceeded 2 million, government data showed Sunday.
According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, 2.36 million people were treated for influenza in 2024, slightly below the 2.97 million recorded in 2023 but sharply higher than the pandemic years, when mask mandates and social distancing kept the flu largely at bay. Only about 12,000 cases were reported in 2022 and just 15,000 in 2021.
The resurgence of flu began in late 2022, when Korea issued an unusually early flu advisory in September, and continued through mid-2024 — a prolonged outbreak that blurred the usual winter seasonality of the virus.
Health officials said flu activity has since returned to a more typical seasonal pattern but warned that this year’s epidemic started earlier than usual. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) issued a nationwide flu advisory on October 17 — two months earlier than last year — after surveillance data showed infection rates had exceeded epidemic thresholds.
If the outbreak starts early and extends into next spring, experts warn that this winter and next year could again see millions of infections.
Flu-related hospitalizations last year totaled 95,280, or about 4 percent of all cases, and total treatment costs reached 180.3 billion won ($127 million), according to government data.
The KDCA urged high-risk groups — including seniors, children, pregnant women, and those with chronic or respiratory illnesses — to get vaccinated promptly and observe preventive measures such as mask-wearing in crowded spaces and proper hand hygiene. Free vaccinations are available at public health centers and designated clinics nationwide.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
