January 17, 2025
SEOUL – The South Korean government and the ruling People Power Party agreed Thursday to designate an emergency medical response period for treating influenza patients and patients with other respiratory diseases over the Lunar New Year holiday, as the number of flu patients soared in recent weeks.
The ruling party and representatives from the Ministry of Health and Welfare held a consultative meeting at the National Assembly on Thursday. In it, they reviewed the emergency medical care system that will be in place during the Lunar New Year holiday from Jan. 27 to 30 and to monitor the potential spread of respiratory diseases.
After the meeting, the government decided to designate the two weeks from Jan. 20 to Feb. 2 as an emergency medical response period against the flu and other respiratory illnesses.
“(The government) plans to implement robust measures to maintain our emergency medical system,” said Kim Sang-hoon, policy chief of the People Power Party. “To prevent a shortage of outpatient care during the holiday, the government will secure and operate as many hospitals, clinics and pharmacies as possible and strengthen oversight by assigning one-on-one coordinators to all 413 emergency rooms nationwide.”
With various respiratory illnesses circulating nationwide, such as influenza and COVID-19, Kim added that focused treatment will be available at 115 medical clinics and 197 affiliated hospitals specializing in respiratory diseases, to prevent overcrowded emergency rooms.
“The causes behind the recent influenza outbreak include the rise in COVID-19 hospitalization numbers, high fall temperatures, low vaccination rates among school children as well as the simultaneous circulation of two infectious influenza strains,” Kim stated.
Kim added that a “joint task force on respiratory illnesses” will be created to address the rise in such illnesses over the holiday, and vaccination against influenza will continue for those aged 65 and above, pregnant women and children. Authorities will also closely monitor the stock of antiviral medications such as Tamiflu over the holiday and will actively consider using the government’s reserve supplies if needed.
Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong also added on Thursday that the government would “implement robust support measures to maintain a seamless emergency medical system” over the two-week emergency medical response period, while also “securing as many open hospitals and clinics as possible to minimize gaps in outpatient care” over the holiday.
As of Jan. 10, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported that suspected influenza cases surged in the first week of January, with 99.8 cases per 1,000 patients between Dec. 29 and Jan. 4. This is also the largest influenza outbreak since 2016, which saw 86.2 cases per 1,000 patients.