Influenza and respiratory infections rise in Jeonbuk as temperatures drop
Chilly morning and evening winds have sharply dropped temperatures across the Jeonbuk region, driving a surge in influenza and respiratory infections as seasonal immunity declines, reported on November 6, 2026.
Key Clinical Takeaways:
- Influenza suspected-patient rates across South Korea and Jeonbuk have climbed past the epidemic threshold of 12.9 per 1,000 outpatients, reaching 22.8 nationally by the 44th week of 2026.
- School-aged children and toddlers bear the heaviest burden, with the 7-to-12 age group recording 60.9 suspected cases per 1,000 outpatients—roughly 2.7 times the national average.
- Public health authorities point to falling temperatures and increased indoor crowding as primary drivers behind the concurrent spread of influenza and Mycoplasma pneumonia.
Rising Influenza Rates Across Jeonbuk and South Korea
Data released on November 6, 2026, by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province health authorities show that influenza-like illness rates remain well above the epidemic baseline of 12.9 outpatient visits per 1,000 patients. National sentinel surveillance data tracked a weekly progression from 21.6 suspected patients per 1,000 outpatients in the 41st week of 2026 down to 17.7 in the 42nd week, before rebounding upward for two consecutive weeks to 19.2 in the 43rd week and 22.8 in the 44th week.
The Jeonbuk region mirrored this national trajectory. Monitoring across 25 provincial clinic-level sentinel surveillance sites recorded 24.6 suspected patients per 1,000 outpatients during the 41st week, dipping to 18.2 in the 42nd week and 18.3 in the 43rd week, before climbing back to 22.0 in the 44th week.
“Compared to the same period last year, the occurrence figures have clearly increased, and this high level is not dropping and remains continuously maintained,” an official from the Jeonbuk Infectious Disease Management Division stated.
School-Aged Children Drive Heavy Outpatient Surges Amid Cold Snaps
The 44th-week national data revealed intense transmission among school-aged populations. Children aged 7 to 12 recorded 60.9 suspected cases per 1,000 outpatients, while adolescents aged 13 to 18 registered 37.4 cases, and young children aged 1 to 6 reached 33.1 cases.
This heavy pediatric concentration has translated into crowded morning waiting rooms at pediatric clinics across the region. Health officials attribute the sustained transmission to sudden cold snaps lowering host immune defenses and expanded indoor group living that accelerates viral aerosol spread. Medical providers note that influenza is circulating alongside other pathogens, including Mycoplasma pneumonia, creating a multi-pathogen respiratory wave.
“As the weather turns cold, patients visiting the hospital with high fevers and cough symptoms have visibly increased, and the proportion of patients receiving influenza tests has also risen,” an internal medicine physician at a clinic in Wansan-gu, Jeonju, explained.
Provincial Authorities Urge Personal Hygiene and Timely Vaccinations
Provincial health authorities emphasize that personal hygiene measures remain essential to curb winter respiratory transmission. Officials advise residents to wash hands thoroughly after outdoor activities and to practice proper cough etiquette.
“For disease prevention, it is most important to follow personal hygiene rules, such as washing hands thoroughly after going out and keeping cough etiquette,” a provincial official stated, urging residents who have not yet received vaccinations—particularly high-risk young children and older adults—to obtain timely inoculations.