KDCA warns about salmonella as infections spike with hotter-than-average weather

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KDCA warns about salmonella as infections spike with hotter-than-average weather

Published: 09 Jul. 2025, 15:21 Updated: 09 Jul. 2025, 19:29

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Raw chicken is stocked in a refrigerator at a supermarket in Seoul on May 23. [NEWS1]

Cases of infections linked to contaminated food and water nearly doubled in Korea over the past month, prompting health authorities to urge extra caution ahead of what is expected to be a hotter-than-average summer.

Patients diagnosed with salmonella jumped from 66 in the first week of June to 127 in the fourth week, up 92.4 percent, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on Wednesday.

Infections caused by campylobacter bacteria rose from 58 to 128 over the same period, more than doubling. The data is from sample surveillance across 210 hospitals nationwide with over 200 beds.

Salmonella infections often occur when people eat eggs left at room temperature for too long or handle contaminated eggs without washing their hands, then prepare other foods, leading to cross-contamination.

Campylobacter infections usually come from undercooked meat, unpasteurized dairy or water and food contaminated with the bacteria. Raw chicken often carries campylobacter on the surface, so cross-contamination while preparing food is a common route of infection.

Separate full-scale monitoring also points to a rise in illnesses carried by water and food.

Korea confirmed 133 cases of enterohemorrhagic E. coli infections through June, up 30.4 percent from 102 cases over the same period last year.

This infection typically spreads through beef, raw vegetables, dairy products or water contaminated with E. coli, and can also be transmitted from person to person. Infected patients often suffer abdominal pain from severe cramping, nausea, vomiting, low-grade fever and diarrhea.

A researcher at the Gyeonggi Province Institute of Health and Environment demonstrates the process of culturing and isolating food poisoning bacteria in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on May 19. [YONHAP]

Meanwhile, Korea confirmed its first case of Vibrio vulnificus infection, also known as vibrio sepsis, on May 10, with two more cases since.

The bacteria thrive in coastal waters, tidal flats and seafood. Infection can lead to acute fever, chills, low blood pressure, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.

People with chronic liver disease, diabetes or alcohol dependency face a far higher risk of severe infection and death.

Health officials advise people with open wounds to avoid seawater and to always cook seafood thoroughly.

To prevent such diseases, the KDCA recommends washing hands with soap under running water for at least 30 seconds, cooking food thoroughly, boiling water before drinking and cleaning or peeling vegetables and fruits before eating.

If two or more people show symptoms like diarrhea or vomiting after eating the same food or drinking the same water, they should report it immediately to the nearest public health center, the agency stressed.

"With forecasts showing higher-than-average temperatures this summer, everyone needs to take extra care to prevent gastrointestinal infections," KDCA Commissioner Jee Young-mee said.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]