Gyeonggi Province Urges Caution Against Tick-borne Diseases During Farm Work and Outdoor Activities

Gyeonggi Province has urged residents to follow tick-borne disease prevention guidelines as outdoor activities such as rice paddy and field work, mowing grass, harvesting, visiting ancestral graves, and hiking increase during this season.

The Gyeonggi Institute of Health and Environment announced on September 14 that tick-borne diseases such as Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), Tsutsugamushi disease, and Lyme disease occur most frequently between April and November, when farming and outdoor activities are most active.

Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) is a Class 3 nationally notifiable infectious disease transmitted through bites from ticks that carry the virus. After an incubation period of 5 to 14 days, symptoms such as high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and chills may appear. If the disease progresses to a severe state, it can lead to thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and multiple organ failure.

Currently, there is no preventive vaccine or treatment, so prevention is especially important.

The provincial Institute of Health and Environment tested 204 suspected SFTS cases from January to August of this year, with 12 cases testing positive, resulting in a positive rate of 5.9%. Although the number of tests decreased by 10.5% compared to the same period last year, the number of confirmed cases increased from 10 to 12. Among positive cases, those aged 50 and older made up 75% (9 people), which means extra caution is required for middle-aged and elderly individuals during farm work and outdoor activities.

Tick-Borne Disease Prevention Guidelines Poster

When engaging in outdoor activities, it is recommended to wear long sleeves, long pants, gloves, and socks to minimize skin exposure, and to use tick repellents. Do not leave clothes on grass or lie down in grassy areas, and use designated trails when hiking. After finishing outdoor work or activities, wash your clothes immediately and shower, carefully checking areas where ticks could attach, such as around the hair, ears, armpits, waist, and behind the knees. If you find a tick attached to your body, avoid crushing it with your hands; instead, remove it with tweezers and visit a medical facility for treatment.

Furthermore, if you develop suspected symptoms within two weeks after outdoor activities, inform your healthcare provider about any recent farm work or outdoor activities and seek medical attention immediately.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services distributed 1,830 promotional leaflets and 1,680 tick repellents since April to provide preventive education to the province’s farmers, who are frequently outdoors during the farming season. In addition, they continue to provide ongoing guidance about prevention through farm safety managers and heat stroke prevention officers.

Kim Myungkil, Head of the Infectious Disease Research Division at the Provincial Institute of Health and Environment, said, "Not everyone bitten by a tick becomes infected, as only a small proportion of ticks carry the virus. Rather than excessive anxiety, it is important to strictly follow prevention guidelines. In the autumn, there are many opportunities to come into contact with ticks—not only during farm work but also while mowing grass, visiting ancestral graves, and hiking—so please make sure to practice preventive measures before and after any outdoor activity."

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, over the past five years (2021 to 2025), 43.5% (441 out of 1,013 cases) of SFTS patients nationwide were reported between September and November.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.