S. Korea confirms 21 more flu cases

SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities said Tuesday they
have confirmed 21 more cases of influenza A, raising the total number of flu
infections here to 1,279.
The patients, including an Air Force serviceman, were confirmed to be infected
with the H1N1 virus which has killed hundreds of people worldwide since it was
first reported in late April, according to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and
Family Affairs.
As of Tuesday, 82 people remained in isolation at state-designated hospitals with
418 staying at home for treatment. The other patients have recovered and been
released after being treated with antibiotics. No deaths have been reported in
South Korea.
Though South Korea has been relatively insulated from the contagious disease,
concerns have been growing recently that it may begin spreading more quickly via
person-to-person transmission.
The government pushing to stockpile vaccines, and earlier said it aims to secure
enough to inoculate around 27 percent of the population against the flu virus.
Last week, the ministry upgraded its disease alert level by one notch to the
second-highest, calling for cities and provinces to run emergency disease control
systems around the clock.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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