No ticks carrying severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) have been found in Seoul so far, even after the nation's first SFTS death of the year was reported on Jeju Island on the 5th of this month. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to step up surveillance in city parks and along walking trails to prevent the disease.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government Research Institute of Public Health and Environment said on the 28th that it will conduct intensive monitoring of hard ticks through October in city parks, walking trails and other areas where ticks are expected to live.
Since April, the institute has been collecting ticks at Han River parks, ecological parks, walking trails, barefoot walking paths and dog parks to identify species and test for the SFTS virus. About 480 specimens were collected through August at ecological parks and other sites in the city, and none tested positive for the virus.
SFTS can be transmitted through the bite of an infected hard tick and may cause high fever, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, the institute said. Hard ticks are typically 1 to 9 millimeters long, making them difficult to see, and they can feed on blood at every stage of development from larva to adult.
With no vaccine or treatment available, avoiding bites is critical. The institute advised wearing long sleeves, socks and hats outdoors, using repellent and sitting on mats rather than directly on grass. It also recommended showering after returning home and checking the body for ticks. Anyone bitten should carefully remove the tick with tweezers and see a doctor immediately if symptoms appear within 14 days.
The institute is also testing pets for SFTS. None of the 108 cases examined from April through the end of July were positive. Owners can request testing for pets showing symptoms such as high fever after outdoor activity.
"Climate and environmental changes, along with eco-friendly urban development, are expanding the habitat of disease-carrying ticks and increasing the chances of exposure," said Park Ju-sung, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Research Institute of Public Health and Environment. "We will do our best to prevent tick-borne infectious diseases and respond early through continuous surveillance and rapid testing."
