Nationwide Outbreak in First Half of This Year, 317 Times Increase Compared to Last Year
Ulsan City has begun preventive management measures to curb the regional spread of pertussis, as the number of infections has recently surged nationwide.
According to Ulsan City, there were only 14 cases of pertussis nationwide in the first half of last year, but in the first half of this year, 4,450 cases have been reported, marking a 317-fold increase and indicating a nationwide outbreak.
In particular, 1,327 cases, or 29.7% of the total, have occurred in the neighboring regions of Busan and Gyeongnam, raising concerns about cluster outbreaks in the area.
In Ulsan, only three cases had been reported by May, but four additional cases occurred in June alone, raising concerns about further spread.
Ulsan City, in cooperation with the Office of Education and public health centers, has strengthened monitoring of facilities at risk of group infections, such as daycare centers, kindergartens, schools, and private academies.
Additionally, the city has requested cooperation from relevant agencies to ensure prompt diagnosis and early isolation of suspected and probable cases.
An official from Ulsan City stated, "The number of cases is increasing nationwide, raising the risk of infection among children and adolescents," and urged, "For infection prevention, those who are unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated should promptly receive the DTaP vaccine. Please also follow personal hygiene guidelines such as wearing a mask if you have respiratory symptoms and practicing proper handwashing."
Pertussis is highly contagious and spreads through droplets from patients or carriers.
The incubation period is 4 to 21 days, with main symptoms including paroxysmal cough and other respiratory symptoms.
Recently, it has been reported that many confirmed cases do not show the classic clinical symptoms of pertussis and are often detected with only mild coughing.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
