Korea confirms 10 additional flu cases

South Korea`s health authorities said Wednesday that they have confirmed 10 additional new cases of influenza A, brining the total number of flu infections here to 317, Yonhap News reported.

The patients -- mostly of whom returned from recent overseas trips -- tested positive for the H1N1 virus after showing flu-like symptoms such as fever and sore throat, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said in an e-mailed statement.

Of them, three returned from Thailand, with two from the Philippines and one each from Britain, Japan, New Zealand and the United States, the ministry said. They are all being treated at state-designated hospitals.

South Korea has been relatively insulated from the global pandemic, which has claimed more than 400 lives worldwide since April, but concerns linger that the spread of the disease could be picking up pace.

Last week, two local elementary schools were temporarily closed in a bid to stem the spread of the disease after a student there was found to have been infected with the virus.

The government plans to spend nearly 200 billion won ($157 million) to secure enough vaccine to treat 13 million people for the new H1N1 flu virus.