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Emerging and rare infections on the rise:Korea CDC

07 October 2014 | News | By BioSpectrum Bureau

Emerging and rare infections on the rise:Korea CDC

CDC said that the incidences of rare and emerging infections in Korea has increased by 23 percent in 2013

CDC said that the incidences of rare and emerging infections in Korea has increased by 23 percent in 2013

Singapore: Korea's health control center cautioned that emerging infections and new cases rare diseases were increasing at an alarming rate in the country, in the recent years.

According to the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 112,850 people were confirmed to have contracted rare diseases last year, 23 percent up from 91,908 in 2012.

CDC said that increase in travel and trade led to the rise in cases. The center indicated that 19 cases of Lyme disease were registered in Korea in 2013, a disease which is considered rare outside North America. CDC also said that first case of Chikungunya in the country was reported last year.

Statistics underscored that the number of dengue infections registered in Korea was 69 percent more in 2013, as compared to 2012. Another rare infection to afflict a Korean last year was melioidosis, which has a fatality rate of 40 percent.

According to the disease control center 294 people had contracted bacillary dysentery last year after eating kimchi, a food imported from China.

Ms Park Sook-kyung, a researcher at the center, said, "Korea has to improve its disease prevention and surveillance measures. With more overseas travelers and food imported from other countries, the risk of emerging infections has also increased."

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