21st century`s first pandemic haunts world

An unprecedented human form of the swine flu virus, which is believed to have originated in Mexico, was found in April this year.

Gaining strength in Mexico and the United States, the H1N1 flu outbreak spread to other continents at a staggering rate.

Now, as regional economies, societies and cultures have integrated through a huge global network of communication and exchanges, it took less than a month for the highly contagious disease to arrive in Korea.

The nation`s first case of infection was a 51-year-old nun who had recently arrived from a volunteer trip to the flu-struck Mexico. While Korean health authorities were tightening thermal screenings at airports, the case was the first one that passed through the inspection.

Fortunately, health officials could handle the first case with relative ease as she lived a secluded life at a religious residence. She was said to have stayed and ate alone in an isolated room after sensing flu-like symptoms.

Thanks to the prompt response, health officials said the virus` community-level transmission within the country could be delayed by three months.



Amid the rampant flu outbreak in other countries, the number of additional infections was slowly increasing here. But health officials went on heightened alert for an influx of overseas Koreans and foreign travelers in the coming weeks of summer vacation.

On June 11, the World Health Organization declared a global swine flu pandemic, raising its flu alert to the highest level.

"The world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century," said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan.

The flu outbreak was the first pandemic on this level since 1968 when the Hong Kong flu killed an estimated one million people worldwide.

But the U.N. health agency made it clear that the geographical spread of the disease - not its severity - was the biggest consideration for the pandemic declaration.

While recommending no restrictions be taken in traveling or trading among its member states, the WHO asked drug makers to start producing a vaccine for the virus.

Green Cross, a local pharmaceutical company, also started the test production of the domestically-developed vaccine. The nation`s No. 2 drug maker established a vaccine factory last September, making Korea the world`s 12th country - and second in Asia - with the capacity to produce flu vaccines using its own techniques.

The nation`s alert raise came after one month on July 22. Starting early July, the number of infected cases began to mushroom across the nation, with the surge in mass infections at schools.

Health officials said that people now can contract the disease with no recent overseas travel or link to other sufferers, signaling that isolation was no longer effective.

While treatment and observation were more concentrated on patients with severe symptoms or underlying diseases, most people showing mild symptoms were advised to visit local clinics.

The first fatality from the H1N1 virus was confirmed on Aug. 15, four months after the nation`s first infected case was defected. The man in his 50s died from septicemia, a complication from the flu infection, after returning from Thailand.

People`s flu fears escalated, however, the next day as a 63-year-old woman died of the disease even though she had never been abroad or in close contact with flu patients.

She did not receive any treatment for five days after her first symptoms started. That might have accelerated her illness, health officials said.

The flu scare sent the demand for hygienic products soaring. Hand sanitizers in particular were in great demand as frequent hand washing was widely known as the most effective precautionary measures against transmission. The stockpiles of other flu-related products such as protective masks and thermometers were also running out both on- and off-line markets.

The economy started seeing the impact of the global flu fears. The tourism industry was hit hard by a decline both in foreign and Korean travelers, while internet malls and home-shopping channels enjoyed robust growth.

Few weeks after the three-day Chuseok holiday in early October, the number of infections started soaring, prompting the government to raise its flu alert to the highest level on Nov. 3.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters were installed under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, the second against a disease since the 2006 avian flu outbreak.

Some schools suspended classes and the military banned soldiers from going outside their military units. Ahead of the national college entrance exam on Nov. 12, all applicants were obliged to attend the usually optional preparatory gathering and undergo fever checkups.

Starting with healthcare workers late October, the full-fledged national vaccinations against the H1N1 virus were given to school children in mid-November. The government plans to inoculate a total of 19.13 million people, or 39 percent of the population, in several stages by next February.

Late November, the seemingly uncontrollable flu spread began relieving.

"The flu pandemic may have peaked here," suggested a government report based on sampling tests conducted across the nation.

Vaccinations on school children who are most likely to transmit the disease within a community are being carried out smoothly as planned. When the vaccinations are completed this month and schools enter winter vacation, health officials said, infection factors are expected to be largely removed.

On Dec. 10, the government lowered its flu alert level, while the current emergency medical system was still maintained.

In an annual policy reported issued yesterday, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said it will end the flu situation by next February, pledging to renew its disease response system.

In order to better respond to a future disease, the time for diagnosis will be shortened in half by increasing the number of testing laboratories. Hospitals specially designated for flu treatment also will increase with better facilities.

The government is considering establishing the tentatively-named National Disease Control Agency as well, with implementing an emergency fund for disease response.

"Vaccinations are to be given to high-risk groups. Because it is possible that a small-scale flu outbreak can occur again at any time, people are still advised to take attention to individual hygiene," said Park Ha-jung, senior official at the Health Ministry in a weekly briefing last week.

According to the latest WHO report, more than 208 countries worldwide have reported at least 9,956 deaths as of Dec. 6. As many countries have stopped counting individual cases, health officials said, the figure is likely a gross undercount.

The nation`s death toll from the disease was 132 as of Thursday, health officials said.

(jylee@heraldm.com)



By Lee Ji-yoon