S. Korea confirms 5 more new flu cases

By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, June 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities confirmed Wednesday
five more cases of Influenza A, bringing the number of new flu cases here to 53.

The new patients - all South Koreans - are confirmed to be infected with the H1N1
virus and have been placed under observation at state-designated hospitals for
treatment, according to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs.
Of them, three returned from their recent trips to the United States, one from
Australia and the other from the Philippines, the ministry said. The ministry
said that it is tracing people who might have been in contact with the patient.
A 38-year-old man included in the flu list turned out to be a coworker of another
patient confirmed to be infected earlier this week, raising concerns that he
contracted the disease through person-to-person contact.
It is also the first time that infection was reported from a person who traveled
to Australia, where the flu is spreading at a fast pace. More than 1,000 cases
were reported from the country, the ministry said.
The latest outbreaks brought the number of confirmed flu cases here to 53. Of
them, 46 patients have been released from hospitals after showing no symptoms.
According to the latest tally by the World Health Organization, 73 countries have
officially reported 25,288 cases of the H1N1 infection, including 139 deaths
mostly in Mexico and the United States. South Korea has reported no deaths.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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