South Korea confirms 24 more cases of type-A flu

By Lee Youkyung
SEOUL, July 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korean health authorities said Thursday that they
have confirmed 24 more cases of influenza A, including one South Korean
quarantine official, bringing the country's tally to 341. Seven additional
suspected cases were also reported.
The 27-year-old female quarantine official who works for an airport quarantine
center, is the fifth quarantine worker to have been tested positive for H1N1
virus.
Most of the new cases are South Korean nationals who returned from overseas trips
in early July, while four contracted the type-A flu via contact with other flu
patients, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said.
The ministry suspected that two patients might have been infected with the H1N1
virus during a five-day camping in South Korea with foreign nationals. They are
all under close observation at state-designated hospitals, it added.
South Korea has been relatively isolated from the pandemic that has claimed more
than 400 lives across the globe since April. No death has been reported in South
Korea.
But the local community is keen on stemming the spread in its early stage as
concerns of a widespread pandemic linger. Last week, two local elementary schools
closed temporarily when one of their students tested positive for the flu virus.
The South Korean government plans to spend nearly 200 billion won (US$157
million) to procure enough vaccines to treat 27 percent of its 49 million
populations.
As of Thursday morning, 80 patients are currently isolated for treatment here,
with 270 confirmed or suspected patients having been released after showing no
further flu symptoms, according to the ministry.
ylee@yna.co.kr
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