Jindo-gun Urges Caution Against Tick-Borne Infectious Diseases

Distribution of Educational and Promotional Materials for Preventing Wild Tick Damage in Summer

[Jindo=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-kyung] Jindo-gun, Jeollanam-do, recently urged adherence to personal prevention guidelines to prevent tick-borne infectious diseases during the summer season, as the number of patients with tick-borne infectious diseases has been increasing domestically.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), one of the representative tick-borne infectious diseases, occurs from April to November mainly in middle-aged and elderly people with weakened immune systems. Despite its high fatality rate, there are no preventive vaccines or treatments available, so special caution is required during outdoor activities.

The county is doing its best to prevent infectious diseases among residents by providing preventive education and distributing promotional materials targeting elderly farmers, in line with the summer season when outdoor activities such as farming, walking, and hiking become frequent.

To prevent tick-borne infectious diseases, it is necessary to wear long sleeves, long pants, high socks, gloves, and other protective clothing to avoid skin exposure, use repellents, take a bath immediately after going outdoors, and wash worn clothes separately.

In particular, if sudden fever occurs within two weeks after outdoor activities, one should immediately visit a medical institution.

A Jindo-gun Public Health Center official said, “If symptoms such as headache, chills, vomiting, or muscle pain occur after outdoor activities, inform the medical staff about your outdoor activity history and be sure to visit a medical institution for treatment.”