The South Korean disease control authority has warned travelers to be particularly careful in view of the increasing cases of dengue fever in Southeast Asia.
Those planning trips to Southeast Asia should exercise caution to avoid contracting dengue fever, the Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) urged on Tuesday.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 10,123 cases of dengue fever were reported in Singapore this year as of May. That is four times more than in the same period last year.
A total of four cases were recorded in South Korea in the current year up to June 10th. All cases are imported cases from Indonesia and Thailand.
As a precaution, you should avoid thickets of grass and mountains during the trip and dress in light colors if possible. If any suspicious symptoms appear within two weeks of your return, you should go to the nearest medical facility and inform them about the trip abroad.
Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by the mosquito of the Aedes genus. After an incubation period of three to 14 days, symptoms such as fever, headache, chills and muscle pain appear. There are currently no vaccines or drugs against it.
The KDCA warned that the Asian tiger mosquito, one of the mosquito species that transmit dengue fever, lives in all parts of South Korea. Therefore, monitoring and responding to spread and nativeization is important.