Lifting of the Mycoplasma Pneumonia Outbreak Alert

KDCA: Hospitalized Patient Numbers Remain Below Epidemic Threshold for Four Consecutive Weeks

The Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection alert, which was issued at the end of June last year, will be lifted on the 7th.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 6th that this decision was made as the number of hospitalized patients with Mycoplasma pneumonia at 221 hospital-level sentinel surveillance medical institutions fell below the epidemic threshold of 250 for four consecutive weeks.

According to the KDCA's sentinel surveillance results for acute respiratory infections, the number of hospitalized patients due to Mycoplasma pneumonia has been steadily decreasing: 229 in the first week of this year, 209 in the second week, 129 in the third week, and 113 in the fourth week.

Mycoplasma pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae and is classified as a Category 4 infectious disease under sentinel surveillance. It has typically shown epidemic cycles every 3 to 4 years, mainly affecting children and adolescents. After the COVID-19 pandemic, it showed an increasing trend during the winter of 2023, began spreading again last year, and the KDCA has been managing it actively by encouraging testing and treatment since issuing the epidemic alert on June 24, 2024.

During the alert period, health insurance coverage was uniformly applied for rapid antigen tests for Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children and adolescents under 18 years old. However, after the alert is lifted, the blanket application of health insurance coverage for antigen tests in children and adolescents will be discontinued, and coverage will only be applied when clinical criteria are met along with signs of pneumonia or similar symptoms.

Ji Young-mi, director of the KDCA, urged, "Although the Mycoplasma pneumonia epidemic alert is lifted, influenza and other infections are still prevalent, so please adhere to respiratory infection prevention measures such as vaccination, hand washing, cough etiquette, and wearing masks."