A 62-year-old woman has died from a tick-borne disease, marking the country's first such fatality this year.
The health ministry said the woman, who had been working at a livestock farm in Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province, died Friday after being diagnosed with a severe fever and thrombocytopenia syndrome, or SFTS.
Health officials are warning the public, especially those working outdoors in rural areas, to look out for ticks, which are most active between April and November.
Common symptoms of SFTS are high fever, vomiting and diarrhea -- severe cases can result in organ failure and death.
There is no effective medicine to treat the disease so the best preventative measure is to avoid being bitten by ticks.■
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