S. Korean woman confirmed infected with killer tick virus

SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean woman has been confirmed to be infected by the killer tick virus, the first such case this year, the health authorities said Friday.

The 73-year-old woman living in a rural city in South Chungcheong Province was admitted to a hospital in Daejeon on May 12, three days after showing symptoms of SFTS, or severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome caused by a virus carried by ticks, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

She has been recovering gradually from thrombocytopenia since then, but is still in a critical condition, the authorities said.

Ticks transmit viruses, some potentially lethal, through bites. Patients commonly show fever, body aches, rashes, diarrhea and vomiting if bitten by a virus-infected tick.

A total of 36 cases were reported in 2013, with 17 confirmed dead. In 2014, 55 cases were reported with 15 confirmed dead.

sshim@yna.co.kr
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