A nurse shows a flu vaccine at a clinic in Seoul on Sept. 22, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 2 (Korea Bizwire) — This winter’s flu season is likely to pass unnoticed again as influenza, a contagious respiratory disease that is most commonly seen in the winter, remains overwhelmed by COVID-19.
The number of suspected flu patients per 1,000 outpatients stood at 3.7 persons in the eighth week of 2022 (Feb. 13-19), according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
Patients suspected of flu refer to those who show an abrupt fever of higher than 38 degrees Celsius and suffer symptoms including cough and sore throat.
This figure is slightly higher than the 2.6 persons per 1,000 recorded in the seventh week but far lower than 5.8 persons per 1,000, the threshold to issue a flu watch warning for the 2021-2022 season.
The number of flu suspected patients per 1,000 outpatients remained low at 1 or 2 persons this year.
Just like the previous season, the flu virus was not detected until the eighth week of the 2021-2022 season.
Even during the previous season, there was not even a single day when the number of daily influenza patients reached a level high enough to issue a flu watch warning.
The medical community attributed that to a thorough management of personal sanitation, including mask wearing and hand washing to prevent coronavirus.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
