S. Korea to double Tamiflu stockpile amid swine flu concern

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SEOUL, April 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will double its stockpile of Tamiflu and
other influenza drugs to brace for the spread of swine flu following outbreaks in
other countries, a top health official said Monday.
Currently, the state-run Korea Center for Disease Control (KCDC) holds enough
reserves of the antiviral drug Tamiflu to treat up to 2.5 million people, around
5 percent of the country's population.
"We believe that the nation has a sufficient amount of influenza medicine,
including Tamiflu and Relenza," KCDC Director Lee Jong-koo told reporters.
"Still, we plan to increase the amount to be able to treat 5 million people."
The move comes as nations across the globe are battling against a new strain of
swine flu that is blamed for dozens of deaths in Mexico. Human cases have also
been confirmed in the U.S. and Canada, with several other nations reporting
suspected patients, raising fears the virus is spreading at a
faster-than-expected pace.
Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by type A influenza that regularly
causes outbreaks among pigs and is transmittable to humans.
Since Saturday, the South Korean government has also tightened quarantine
measures for pork imports from Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, while stepping up
inspections of tourists who have traveled to affected areas.
Lee said he could not rule out the chance that the virus could enter South Korea,
but said the government will be prepared to control such a situation. "We do not
think it will become a pandemic here in our nation," he said.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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