Yangsan City Issues Infection Alert... Surge in Hospitalized Patients, COVID-19, and Respiratory Diseases

Importance of Following Respiratory Infection Prevention Guidelines in Summer

Yangsan City in Gyeongnam is closely monitoring the recent increase in summer respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, within the region.

COVID-19 Infection Prevention Poster.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is monitoring the status of hospitalized patients at 220 sentinel hospitals nationwide with more than 200 beds, following the reclassification of COVID-19 as a Class 4 notifiable infectious disease.

According to the latest reports on hospitalized patients, the number of COVID-19 inpatients has increased more than 3.5 times over the past four weeks, with elderly patients aged 65 and older accounting for 64.9%. In addition to COVID-19, respiratory infectious diseases such as pertussis and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection are also spreading simultaneously. In response, Yangsan City is urging residents to follow preventive measures against respiratory infections, such as indoor ventilation during the summer and wearing masks.

Recently, the detection rate of Omicron subvariants of COVID-19 has changed: while JN.1 was previously dominant, KP.3 has now increased to 39.8%. This reflects a global trend, and although the World Health Organization is monitoring this variant, it is still classified as Omicron, with no reports to date of increased transmissibility or severity.

Symptoms caused by the KP.3 variant are believed to be similar to previous COVID-19 symptoms, including high fever, runny nose, cough, chills, cold sweats, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, and loss of smell and taste.

Preventive measures against respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 include: practicing cough etiquette by wearing a mask, making handwashing a regular habit, not touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands, ventilating indoor spaces frequently, and seeking appropriate medical care at a healthcare facility if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

An official from the Yangsan City Public Health Center stated, "There is growing concern for citizens' health this summer, with the combination of hot and humid weather and the increasing trend of respiratory infections such as COVID-19. In particular, during the holiday season, the risk of infectious disease spread increases due to the rise in population movement, so we urge everyone to be cautious. Especially for the elderly and those with underlying health conditions or weakened immune systems, we recommend practicing infection prevention measures to maintain good health and prevent the progression to severe illness."