Time now for our "Life & Info" segment... where we focus on information useful for your everyday life.<br />It's Tuesday,... so let's focus on health-related stories.<br />South Korea is the only OECD country with a high incidence of tuberculosis, …with one out of every three Koreans deemed to have latent TB.<br />The government has unveiled measures to eradicate the disease by 2030,… including mobile clinics and increased support for patients.<br />Park Se-young has more.<br />South Korea has the highest rate of tuberculosis in the OECD.<br />In fact, just over 70 out of every 100-thousand Koreans were infected with the disease in 2017, …much higher than the OECD average of 11-point-one.<br />The mortality rate from tuberculosis is also the highest in the OECD, …at five deaths per 100-thousand people.<br />Tuberculosis was widespread during the Korean War, …due to malnutrition and poor residential conditions.<br />It is believed that one in three Koreans have latent tuberculosis, …which becomes active with age and weakened immune systems.<br /><br />As a response, the Korean government has announced a set of measures to reduce the country's tuberculosis prevalence to fewer than ten per 100-thousand people by 2030.<br />The measures include free annual checkups for the most vulnerable people, …such as senior citizens aged 65 and above …and the homeless.<br />Mobile clinics will also be sent to urban homeless shelters, …and those diagnosed with tuberculosis will be exempt from medical expenses.<br />And from as early as July, foreign entrants with tuberculosis will be deported after two weeks of treatment in isolation …to prevent foreigners from exploiting the state health insurance.<br /><br />Active tuberculosis is contagious, …so experts stress the importance of diagnosing and managing the infection in its latent form.<br />Early discovery of tuberculosis can prevent 90 percent of infections.<br />When coughing continues for over two weeks, there is a high possibility of infection.<br />Other common symptoms include coughing up blood, chest pains, unintentional weight loss, fever and loss of appetite.<br />According to the World Health Organization, the vast majority of cases can be cured when medicine is provided and taken properly.<br />Park Se-young, Arirang News.<br />
