Four more H1N1 cases confirmed

Health officials said yesterday four more additional cases of H1N1, a subtype of influenza A, have been confirmed here, raising the total number of infected people to 39.

The latest cases include a 16-year-old male student who reported himself to a nearby public health center last Thursday after entering the country on Monday and showing symptoms the following day, according to officials.

Another 28-year-old male student was classified as a suspected case after showing symptoms at the airport quarantine while returning home from the United States on Saturday.



A 38-year-old woman and a U.S. national baby, who entered Korea last Monday and Tuesday respectively, were both reported to nearby public health centers last Thursday.

"The virus is infiltrating through overseas residents or students who come back home during the summer holidays season," said an official of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the Foreign Ministry, there are at least 154,600 Korean students in the United States, Canada and Japan where the disease continues to spread widely.

Some 6,000 to 6,500 travelers enter the country everyday on direct flights from the United States.

So far, no cases of infection have been found among those who contacted the four newly confirmed patients, said officials.

Experts, however, warned that the patients may have spread the disease during its incubation period and called for continuous precautions against further outbreaks.

Officials of the Health Ministry and other related departments yesterday met at the Prime Minister`s Office to devise countermeasures to the spreading disease.

Overseas students with suspected symptoms of the disease will be recommended to undergo medical treatment before boarding planes home, according to officials.

Students who delay their flight schedule will be exempted of the resulting additional charges, should they use Korean Air or Asiana Airlines.

Also, a notice will be sent to schools and language institutes, requesting a one week observation period before foreign instructors who have just arrived in the country start teaching classes.

The airport quarantine processes will also be reinforced, said officials.

By Bae Hyun-jung



(tellme@heraldm.com)