South Korea advances flu vaccination for children and elderly amid early outbreak
South Korea has brought forward its national flu vaccination programs for children and seniors after an early surge in cases, health officials said Friday.
Key Takeaways
AISouth Korean health authorities on Friday warned of an unusually early outbreak of influenza, with infection rates now more than four times higher than the same period last year, particularly among elementary school students and younger children.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said in a statement carried by Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) that "weekly monitoring at around 800 clinics has shown a significant rise in influenza-like illness rates over the past four weeks."
The increase has affected all age groups, with children aged 7 to 12 reporting the highest infection rates, followed by those aged 1 to 6, and then those aged 13 to 18.
In response to the latest statistics, health authorities have decided to bring forward the start of national vaccination programs for children and the elderly.