Elementary school closed on flu concerns

An elementary school in Korea was Thursday closed temporarily in a precautionary measure to stem the spread of the H1N1 flu virus after a student was confirmed to have been infected with the contagious disease, school officials said, according to Yonhap News.



The elementary school, which is located in South Jeolla Province and has 850 students, will remain closed until Tuesday, marking the first school shutdown in connection with the new flu strain.



The measure was taken as one of its students were recently confirmed to have been infected with the virus after returning from his trip to Australia with around 10 classmates and teachers.



He is currently being treated at a state-designated hospital and those who traveled with him are showing no flu-like symptoms but regional school administrators decided on the shutdown as a precautionary measure. All students were sent home after morning classes ended.



Health authorities said that they are tracking down all people who might have in close contact with the infected student to stem a possible person-to-person infection.



Korea has been relatively insulated from the global pandemic, which has claimed more than 300 lives since its outbreak in late April. No deaths have been reported here.



But concerns are growing that infection could accelerate as Koreans studying abroad in hard-hit countries such as the United Sates and Australia return home for summer vacation.



Earlier in the day, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said that it has confirmed one additional flu case, raising the number infections here to 227.



As of Thursday morning, 45 people were being treated for the flu, with other suspected and confirmed patients having been discharged from hospitals after showing no further symptoms.