S. Korea testing 4 suspected swine flu cases

SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean health authorities said Thursday that
they are currently testing four suspected cases of swine flu amid escalating
fears the deadly virus could evolve into a global pandemic.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said in a statement
that it is investigating four individuals after they were reported to have been
showing flu-like symptoms such as coughing and fever.
The four are among a total of 23 people who have contacted authorities over
possible infections. Eighteen people tested negative but a 51-year-old woman has
been quarantined for treatment after she was classified as the nation's first
"probable" case of swine flu on Tuesday.
Details on the individuals being tested were not available, including information
on when and to where they traveled.
The report comes as governments worldwide are struggling to control the spread of
the highly infectious virus, which has reportedly killed over 150 people in
Mexico alone.
The first death outside Mexico was confirmed on Wednesday in the United States,
raising concerns that the virus is spreading at a faster-than-expected pace.
Cases have also been reported in other nations, including Canada, Spain and New
Zealand.
The World Health Organization earlier warned that swine flue is threatening to
become a pandemic, raising its alert level one notch higher.
South Korea has also intensified precautionary efforts by restricting travel to
Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak, while tightening quarantines of pork
imported from affected countries.
On Tuesday, the disease control center raised its alert level by one notch to
"Yellow" from the previous "Blue," a move aimed at intensifying cooperation to
stem the outbreak of swine influenza.
The government said it will keep the alert level unchanged but set up a task
force that will operate around the clock to stem the spread of the deadly virus
in the nation.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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