(2nd LD) S. Korea confirms one more flu case

(ATTN: ADDS more info on new patient in 2-3 para)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, May 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities said Thursday they
confirmed one more case of Influenza A late in the afternoon, bringing the number
of reported infections here to 33.

According to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, a 31-year-old
Korean man was confirmed to have been infected with the H1N1 virus after
returning from the United States late last week.
He voluntarily reported to a local medical center with flu-like symptoms before
being isolated for treatment and observation at his house, it said.
Earlier in the morning, the ministry announced that three patients -- a
41-year-old American English teacher, a 38-year-old educator and a 19-year-old
Korean national -- were added to the list of people infected with the contagious
disease.
The English teacher and the 38-year-old patient work at the same language
institute where 20 employees, mostly foreign instructors, had already been
infected with the disease by Wednesday.
The 19-year-old Korean has been treated at a state-designated hospital for
flu-like symptoms since returning from overseas Tuesday, the ministry said.
South Korea had been considered relatively insulated from the highly contagious
virus until last week, with just four confirmed cases reported.
The number, however, has been growing sharply since a group of foreign English
teachers employed at the same language institute was found to be infected over
the weekend, raising concerns the virus might be spreading through
person-to-person contact.
According to the latest tally by the World Health Organization, 48 countries have
officially reported more than 13,000 cases of influenza A infection, including 95
deaths. Most deaths have occurred in Mexico and the U.S.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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