S. Korea to spend nearly 200 bln won to secure flu vaccines

(ATTN: ADDS 2nd case of class suspension in 7th para)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's government said Friday that it will spend
nearly 200 billion won (US$157 million) to secure vaccines for the new H1N1 flu
virus in an effort to brace for a wider spread of the contagious disease.
Global efforts are intensifying to develop preventive drugs for the new flu,
which has claimed more than 300 lives worldwide since it was first reported in
April. No deaths have been confirmed here.
South Korea also began work on developing prototypes for a flu vaccine this week
to accelerate the development of preventive drugs.
"We will push to secure enough vaccines to treat 13 million people or 27 percent
of the nation's total population in a bid to brace for a fast spread of the
disease during the upcoming fall season," the Ministry for Health, Welfare and
Family Affairs said in a statement. "To stockpile the vaccines, we will spend 193
billion won."
The ministry added that it will do its best to stockpile the targeted amount by
holding close consultations with both local and foreign pharmaceutical companies.
The move comes one day after an elementary school in South Jeolla Province was
closed temporarily to stem the spread of the H1N1 flu virus after a student was
confirmed to have been infected with the disease.
Earlier in the day, another elementary school located near the first affected one
suspended classes as part of precautionary measures, though no infections were
identified among its students, according to local school administrators.
South Korea has been relatively insulated from the global pandemic, but concerns
are growing that the infection rate could accelerate as Koreans studying abroad
in hard-hit countries such as the United Sates and Australia return home for
summer vacation.
As of Friday morning, South Korea has reported a total of 238 people infected
with the flu. Of them, 45 were being treated at state-designated hospitals, with
other suspected and confirmed patients having been discharged from hospitals
after showing no further symptoms.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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