ID :
59047
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 18:07
Auther :

S. Korea confirms 2nd case of Influenza A

SEOUL, May 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean health authorities confirmed the country's
second case of Influenza A on Tuesday, a week after the first confirmed infection
was identified.
A 44-year-old nun who lived with the first H1N1 virus patient was diagnosed as a
confirmed case, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said. South
Korea currently has two confirmed cases and one probable case, it said.
It is believed she was infected when she met the first patient returning from
Mexico at an airport west of Seoul, the ministry said.
"The nun, however, is doing well and will be discharged on Wednesday," it said.
The first confirmed case, also a nun, 51, was diagnosed a week ago but was
discharged from a military hospital on Monday after being treated in quarantine.
One probable case is a 62-year-old woman who was on the same flight with the
first confirmed case.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), meanwhile, said it
was testing an additional 36 people for Influenza A infection and that a woman in
her 20s was being closely examined, as she tested positive for the influenza.
The woman, who lives in Daegu, about 300 km southeast of Seoul, reportedly
returned home on April 30 after staying in Canada for about 10 months. At the
time of arrival, her body temperature was 36.9 degrees Celsius and she had a sore
throat, a cough and a runny nose, the center said.
"However, just testing positive doesn't mean that she is a probable case of the
virus," KCDC said.
So far, 148 people have reported suspected symptoms of Influenza A, the center said.
KCDC said that among the 336 people on the flight, about 140 foreigners or
connecting passengers were excluded from examination. A total of 188 nationals
tested negative, and 14 passengers have not yet been located, it said.
The government, meanwhile, said that it will step up monitoring of inbound
travelers in an effort to stem the spread of the H1N1 infection.
(END)

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