Influenza Pandemic Warning issued during the 2025-2026 season...the beginning of the epidemic earlier than usual
Oct 17, 2025
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As a result of monitoring the influenza doctor's patient (ILI) sample at a clinic-level medical institution operated by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the proportion of influenza doctors in the 40th week of 2025 (9.28-10.4) was 12.1 (per 1,000 outpatients), exceeding the 2025-2026 influenza epidemic standard (9.1).
The incidence is increasing in all age groups, and the proportion of influenza doctors (per 1,000 outpatients) by age group at 41 weeks is 24.3 people aged 7 to 12 and 19.0 people aged 1 to 6, showing a relatively higher incidence in children and adolescents.
The detection rate of influenza virus in respiratory samples of clinic-level patients is also increasing, and the influenza virus, which is in vogue recently, is mainly type A (H3N2), and it has been confirmed that there are no mutations similar to this season's vaccine strain and affect treatment resistance.
When an influenza epidemic warning is issued, high-risk groups such as children, pregnant women, senior citizens aged 65 or older, and chronically ill are entitled to insurance benefits if they are prescribed antiviral drugs (two types) as suspected influenza symptoms.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been implementing national vaccinations against influenza since September 22 (Monday), and vaccinations for senior citizens aged 65 and over are sequentially in progress starting with those aged 75 and over on October 15, those aged 70 to 74 on October 20, and those aged 65 to 69 on October 22. On the first day of vaccination for the elderly (October 15), 76.2,000 people completed vaccination.
Influenza national vaccination can be administered at a nearby entrusted medical institution or health center regardless of address, and entrusted medical institutions that can be inoculated can be checked at the vaccination assistant website or contact the competent public health center.
Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Lim Seung-kwan said, `We need to be careful because the influenza epidemic is starting earlier than usual this seasonSince vaccination is an effective way to prevent influenza, high-risk influenza groups such as adults and children aged 65 or older should be vaccinated prior to the full-fledged influenza epidemic, and if they have influenza symptoms such as high fever, they should be treated promptly," he stressed.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
