ISTANBUL / ANKARA

South Korea's health authorities on Tuesday issued a nationwide "red alert" to tighten the response after the sixth African swine fever (ASF) case was reported this year, according to local media.

The latest case was reported in a pig farm in the city of Dangjin in South Chungcheong province, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing local officials of Central Disaster Management Headquarters (CDMH).

After the latest case, CDMH issued the highest-level red alert across the nation to prevent the further spread of the disease.

Authorities immediately culled 1,423 pigs from the affected farm and nearby facilities owned by the same operator.

A 48-hour standstill order has been imposed on all pig farms, slaughterhouses, and related facilities nationwide to curb movement and reduce infection risks.

"All of the previous five cases this year were reported in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, but the latest case has emerged in South Chungcheong Province, which has the largest swine farming capacity in the country, making the situation far more serious and raising the risk of a nationwide spread," an Agriculture Ministry official said.

"We will mobilize all available resources to prevent any additional cases and to fully contain the spread of ASF," he added.

Flu infections in South Korea on rise

In a separate health concern, South Korea is facing one of its earliest flu waves in years, with a newly dominant H3N2 subvariant sweeping through the schools.

Flu infections this season are 14 times higher than during the same period last year, with the sharpest increases seen in school-aged children and teenagers, JoongAng Daily reported on Tuesday.

According to health authorities, the spike is being fueled by a new branch of the A-type H3N2 influenza virus called subclade K.

Data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency showed that between Nov. 1 and 8, this subvariant made up 97.2% of all flu samples tested nationwide.

Globally, the strain has also spread rapidly, now representing more than 72% of circulating H3N2 viruses.