[Health Tip] Fever After Traveling to Southeast Asia... Suspect 'Dengue Fever'

Recently, as mosquito-borne infectious diseases have been spreading in Southeast Asia, the number of patients entering the country has also surged. The quarantine authorities urged travelers to use mosquito repellents during overseas trips and to undergo diagnostic tests and receive prompt treatment if symptoms appear after entering the country.

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According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on the 12th, the number of mosquito-borne infectious disease patients entering the country was 144 as of the 5th. This is a 3.1-fold increase compared to 46 patients during the same period last year.

Dengue fever patients were the most numerous at 90, followed by malaria (45), chikungunya fever (8), and Zika virus infection (1). As dengue fever cases surged, the KDCA has strengthened surveillance since last month by conducting proactive dengue fever tests at 13 quarantine stations. Travelers who have been bitten by mosquitoes or show suspected dengue symptoms during quarantine can receive free rapid diagnostic tests.

According to the KDCA, dengue fever patients mainly visited Indonesia, malaria patients mainly visited South Sudan, and chikungunya fever patients mainly visited Thailand. The KDCA stated that the increase in mosquito-borne infectious diseases worldwide due to the expansion of mosquito habitats caused by climate change, combined with the rising number of patients from Southeast Asia?a preferred overseas travel destination for Koreans?appears to be the cause.

Suspected symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle pain, and joint pain. A KDCA official said, "Since mosquito-borne infectious diseases cause nonspecific symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, and rash, they can be mistaken for upper respiratory infections. Therefore, if bitten by mosquitoes during travel or if suspicious symptoms appear after travel, you should visit a medical institution for diagnosis and treatment."

For malaria, a mosquito-borne infectious disease with preventive medication, the KDCA recommends visiting a medical institution before traveling to get a prescription in advance.