5 guards quarantined amid prison flu outbreak

CHEONGJU, South Korea, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- Two prison guards at a state-run
prison have tested positive for Type A influenza, with three others also
suspected of having contracted the contagious disease, local health authorities
said Friday.
Health authorities in North Chungcheong Province said the five guards have been
removed from the prison, in the provincial capital of Cheongju some 137km south
of Seoul, and are being treated in two different local hospitals.
They said the outbreak was likely due to local transmission of the virus, though
no additional cases have been reported.
According to a medical team, none of the five had recently ventured outside of
the prison for overnight stays or vacation.
On Thursday, the authorities gave prescriptions to 21 colleagues who have been in
close contact with the five guards as part of efforts to prevent further spread
of the flu within the correctional institution after conducting an
epidemiological study on the prison.
"They will be accommodated in an isolated area within the prison after being
released from hospital," health officials said.
As of Friday, the number of confirmed infections in South Korea came to 2,675,
with two flu-related deaths and 831 people still being treated, the country's
health authorities said.
mypyco@yna.co.kr
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