{
  "id": 3894988,
  "title": "Seoul expands tick surveillance to prevent infection surge during autumn",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/seoul-expands-tick-surveillance-to-prevent-infection-surge-during",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T05:17:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/health/20260828/seoul-expands-tick-surveillance-to-prevent-infection-surge-during-autumn"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul is increasing surveillance of ticks carrying diseases in parks and walking trails as autumn draws near, following Korea's first fatality from Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) on Jeju Island on August 5. From April to October, the Seoul Research Institute of Public Health and Environment is conducting thorough monitoring in high-risk green spaces. Researchers are focusing on Han River parks, ecological reserves, popular hiking trails, barefoot walking areas, and dog parks, where dense vegetation and human activity intersect. As of August, the institute had collected around 480 ticks, with laboratory tests confirming no instances of the SFTS virus in the collected specimens. SFTS, first identified in East Asia, is a viral infection spread through the bite of an infected hard tick, mainly the Asian bush tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis). The illness has a high fatality rate, often between 12 and 30 percent, due to the lack of specific antiviral treatments or preventive vaccines. Symptoms usually include fever, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, and vomiting.",
  "summary": "Seoul is stepping up surveillance of disease-carrying ticks in parks and along walking trails as autumn approaches, following Korea's first Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) death of the year, reported on Jeju Island on Aug. 5. From April through October, the Seoul Research Institute of Public Health and Environment is conducting intensive monitoring across high-risk green…",
  "key_points": [
    "Seoul expands tick surveillance in parks and trails ahead of autumn.",
    "First SFTS fatality recorded on Jeju Island on August 5.",
    "Researchers monitor high-risk areas with dense vegetation and human activity."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The expanded tick surveillance in Seoul's high-risk green spaces aims to prevent a potential surge in Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome infections during autumn, targeting areas with dense vegetation and human activity.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Seoul expands tick surveillance to prevent infection surge during autumn",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/seoul-expands-tick-surveillance-to-prevent-infection-surge-during-3896417",
        "published": "2026-08-28T05:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}