ID :
61838
Fri, 05/22/2009 - 08:27
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/61838
The shortlink copeid
Gov't to intensify new flu-monitoring process
SEOUL, May 21 (Yonhap) -- The government said Thursday it will intensify local monitoring of the new type-A influenza in the coming weeks to prevent the spread of the outbreak that has hit 40 countries worldwide.
The Prime Minister's Office said concerted efforts to detect and isolate flu
cases will be carried out until June 11.
Authorities said 20,000 local schools, hospitals and clinics and 17 regional
health laboratories operated by local governments will be required to report all
suspected cases and take speedy countermeasures.
"The measures take into account developments taking place in the United States
and Japan, which are struggling to deal with a spike in person-to-person
infections," said Kwon Tae-shin, head of the government policy coordination
office.
He stressed that particular attention will be paid to schools, where the virus
can spread very quickly.
At present, the country has four confirmed type-A H1N1 cases, with one being a
Vietnamese national who was scheduled for a connecting flight at Incheon
International Airport.
"Teachers will be obliged to keep close tabs on their students who show signs of
flu or are absent due to ill health," the minister-level official said. He said
schools must report such cases to the nearest state-run medical clinic for
testing.
Kwon added that Seoul is considering action to raise the country's alert status
from yellow to orange if the World Health Organization (WHO) moves to upgrade its
epidemic level.
Related to tougher monitoring measures, the government said it will speed up the
approval process for type-A vaccines under development.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said it is working
closely with the WHO and local experts, saying that if a vaccine is submitted for
mass production, efforts will be made to permit it.
Experiments are underway to find a vaccine, with health officials expecting a
drug to reach the market around September.
Meanwhile, the WHO said there are 10,243 confirmed cases of the flu worldwide,
with 80 deaths associated with the virus.
The United States has the largest number of confirmed cases, followed by Mexico,
Canada and Japan.
The Prime Minister's Office said concerted efforts to detect and isolate flu
cases will be carried out until June 11.
Authorities said 20,000 local schools, hospitals and clinics and 17 regional
health laboratories operated by local governments will be required to report all
suspected cases and take speedy countermeasures.
"The measures take into account developments taking place in the United States
and Japan, which are struggling to deal with a spike in person-to-person
infections," said Kwon Tae-shin, head of the government policy coordination
office.
He stressed that particular attention will be paid to schools, where the virus
can spread very quickly.
At present, the country has four confirmed type-A H1N1 cases, with one being a
Vietnamese national who was scheduled for a connecting flight at Incheon
International Airport.
"Teachers will be obliged to keep close tabs on their students who show signs of
flu or are absent due to ill health," the minister-level official said. He said
schools must report such cases to the nearest state-run medical clinic for
testing.
Kwon added that Seoul is considering action to raise the country's alert status
from yellow to orange if the World Health Organization (WHO) moves to upgrade its
epidemic level.
Related to tougher monitoring measures, the government said it will speed up the
approval process for type-A vaccines under development.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said it is working
closely with the WHO and local experts, saying that if a vaccine is submitted for
mass production, efforts will be made to permit it.
Experiments are underway to find a vaccine, with health officials expecting a
drug to reach the market around September.
Meanwhile, the WHO said there are 10,243 confirmed cases of the flu worldwide,
with 80 deaths associated with the virus.
The United States has the largest number of confirmed cases, followed by Mexico,
Canada and Japan.
