S. Korea reports 1st confirmed case of type-A influenza

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SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea Saturday reported its first confirmed case
of type-A influenza, amid a heightening alert against the deadly virus that is
rapidly spreading across the globe.
The 51-year-old nun, who has been quarantined since Tuesday after returning from
her recent trips to Mexico, was confirmed to be infected with the influenza, an
official at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs told Yonhap News
Agency. She was the nation's first "probable" case of the new flu virus.
"We confirmed the first probable patient was infected with the virus," he said on
condition of anonymity.
Patients are identified as "probable" when they test positive for type-A
influenza that regularly causes outbreaks among pigs and is transmittable to
humans, but negative for human variants of the virus.
She was among three probable flu patients reported this week. The two other -- a
44-year-old woman and 57-year-old bus driver -- didn't travel to affected
countries, raising concerns a person-to-person transmission of the highly
contagious disease has taken place in the country.
The bus driver turned negative but tests are still underway for the 44-year-old
woman who lived together with the nun who was confirmed to be infected with
type-A influenza, the official said.
The new influenza, widely known as swine flu, is spreading across the globe at a
faster-than-expected pace. According to media reports, it affected people in
countries including Canada, Spain and New Zealand. Japan recently reported a
suspected swine flu case.
South Korea has been intensifying precautionary efforts by restricting travel to
Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak, while tightening quarantines of pork
imported from affected countries.
In an additional move, the disease control center said Friday that it will oblige
Korean residents in Mexico coming to visit their motherland to stay for a week at
the houses they visit.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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