(2nd LD) Four high schools shut over flu fears

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, first 3 paras with school closure; MODIFIES para 4-6 in
line with context)
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- Four high schools in South Korea have decided to delay
their opening or remain temporarily closed due to growing concerns that influenza
A might be spreading fast as students return after summer vacation ends, health
authorities and education ministry officials said Friday.
The schools located in Suwon, Incheon, Anyang and Jeonju made the decision after
some of their students were found to have been infected with the
highly-contagious H1N1 virus, according to the education ministry.
The number of school closure might increase further down the road as summer
vacation is drawing to an end in a few days, ministry officials said.
The move came as South Korea's health authorities earlier confirmed an additional
258 cases of influenza A overnight, sparking concerns the contagious disease is
spreading rapidly across the nation.
The latest cases represent the largest number of confirmed infections in a single
day since the virus was reported here in early May. They bring the total tally in
South Korea to 2,675 including 708 students.
As of Friday, two flu-related deaths have been reported and 831 people are still
being treated, the ministry said.
Fears are growing that South Korea is no longer insulated from the disease,
fueled by the deaths of two South Koreans last weekend from complications
apparently caused by the flu virus, which has claimed almost 1,500 lives around
the world. The two were in their 50s and 60s, respectively.
The recent deaths sparked jitters here that the disease could turn into a
pandemic in the months to come, causing the government to rush to secure more
treatment drugs and vaccines to prepare for a worst case scenario.
The infection rate is feared to accelerate further as students staying overseas
for language training or short-term trips will return home as the summer vacation
period draws to an end. Nearly half of the total infections involve inbound
travelers.
Bracing for a possible pandemic, the government is allocating a larger budget as
it pushes to increase its stockpile of antiviral drugs and vaccines.
Earlier in the day, the government held a meeting and decided to increase its
budget by 170 billion won (US$136.3 million) to purchase the necessary drugs
ahead of a possible full-swing spread of the disease.
The increased budget is in addition to the 193 billion won set aside to secure
enough vaccine to inoculate around 27 percent of the country's 49-million
population. The government is aiming to complete vaccinations by the end of
February next year.
The move comes a day after the health ministry said it will nearly double its
stockpile of antiviral drugs sufficient to treat up to 20 percent of the
population, up from the current 11 percent, while increasing its budget to secure
more flu vaccines.
In a related move, the nation's drug safety watchdog on Thursday gave a local
pharmaceutical company the green light to conduct clinical tests on a vaccine
product.
The ministry, meanwhile, recommended people step up their personal hygiene by
washing hands frequently and report immediately to authorities if they have
symptoms similar to those of the new flu.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)