Suspected flu cases surge by 136%... "Vaccination now."

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of flu patients is increasing rapidly, and children, pregnant women, and people over the age of 65 should be vaccinated now.

Last week, 73.9 suspected flu patients were reported in 300 hospitals under sample monitoring, up 136% from the previous week.

The figure is the highest since 2016, when it hit 86 on a weekly basis.

The incidence rate among students was the highest, with 151 people aged 13-18 and 137 people aged 7-12, but the number of patients increased in all age groups.

Nevertheless, the vaccination rate for children and those aged 65 or older among the national vaccination targets was lower than in the same period last year.

The quarantine authorities stressed that the influenza virus, which is in vogue, is very similar to the flu vaccine strain currently being inoculated, so if vaccinated, it is expected to have sufficient preventive effects.