More efforts urged to fight flu

Lawmakers yesterday urged the government to step up measures to prevent further spread of the H1N1 flu virus.

During a session of the parliamentary committee on health, welfare and family affairs, they argued that government mismanagement had largely been responsible for growing flu fears.

The committee meeting, attended by Health Minister Jeon Jae-hee, came one day after the nation`s fourth death from the flu virus.

"A recent survey showed that 82.1 percent of the public want to receive flu vaccinations. Even though the government`s current goal of securing vaccines for 13 million people (about 27 percent of the total population) is achieved, the remaining 26 million people (who want it) still would not be vaccinated," Rep. Lee Ae-joo from the ruling Grand National Party said, urging additional measures to be taken for more vaccines.



GNP Rep. Won Hee-mok criticized the government for failing to prepare for a possible flu pandemic. "The Board of Audit and Inspection had already pointed out a possible lack of Tamiflu two years ago. Last year, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a plan to secure the antiviral drug for 10 million people. But the disease control agency sees medicines for only 5 million will be available within the year," he said.

Rep. Choi Young-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party added "In July the government designated some major hospitals as strategic bases in tackling the flu. But during the past month, no additional measures were taken to fend off the flu pandemic."

Choi also asked the Health Minister to officially apologize for inaccurate information that had come from the ministry.

Late last month, Choi said that up to 10,000 to 20,000 people could be killed by the flu in the coming months, citing official government documents. But the Health Ministry denied the claim, saying the document was based on a worst-case scenario.

"An official submitted the data, which was calculated by the same method used in Australia and Britain. But the ministry didn`t accept the document because the data was unrealistic. I sincerely apologize that the incorrect document was presented to the National Assembly," said Minister Jeon.

As of yesterday, a total of four H1N1 infected people have died, with more than 4,000 falling ill from the disease here.

However, investigation was still underway on the latest death case of a 47-year-old woman.

Unlike other victims who showed acute respiratory distress syndrome or pneumonia, health officials said she displayed no such respiratory complications from the flu infection.

Before testing positive for the virus on Saturday, she had been suffering from chronic diseases such hypertension, diabetes and kidney failure, according to health officials.

"Other victims from the flu virus had problems of the heart or lungs. But the fourth one displayed kidney failure. Experts think her chronic disease is more likely to be the direct cause of death than the flu virus," said Kwon Jun-wook, senior official from the disease control agency.

While conducting further investigation on her death, the disease control agency also plans to seek advice from the World Health Organization on a case where a flu infected patient dies of another disease.

(jylee@heraldm.com)



By Lee Ji-yoon