Tularemia Surge: KCDC Warns of 5-Fold Spike in 'Fever-Chill' Cases—Outdoor Enthusiasts Take Note In a concerning revelation, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced a notable uptick in Tularemia (Tsutsugamushi) cases, sounding the alarm for outdoor enthusiasts and citizens alike. Over the last four weeks, the density index of Ixodes scapularis, the vector responsible for tularemia, has surged, resulting in a more than fivefold increase in patients—from 145 to 784. Tularemia, classified as a Class 3 statutory infectious disease under the Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, is transmitted through the bite of a hairy tick larva carrying the bacterium Tsutsugamushi. Symptoms, including fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and rash, manifest within 10 days of a tick bite, with black scabs forming at the site. While the fatality rate in Korea hovers between 0.1% to 0.3%, the intensity of symptoms is notably high. The surge in cases...