Influenza increases for 5 weeks in a row... "We need to hurry to get vaccinated."

Health authorities have asked for vaccination as the number of suspected influenza patients, which is widely prevalent in winter, has increased for five consecutive weeks.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the number of suspected influenza symptoms per 1,000 outpatients was 7.3 in the first week of this month.

This is much lower than 61.3 during the same period last year, when the influenza epidemic was severe, but the number of patients has increased for the last five weeks in a row.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that an influenza epidemic warning would be issued by the end of this year, stressing that high-risk groups should hurry to get inoculated.

Currently, the government provides free flu vaccinations to children aged 6 months to 13 years old, pregnant women, and senior citizens aged 65 or older.