S. Korea reports 1 more flu-related death

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 4, 9: ADDS new information from para 10)
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- An 82-year-old woman infected with the Influenza A
virus has died in South Korea, raising the death toll from the contagious disease
here to 34, health authorities said Friday.
The patient, who tested positive for the H1N1 virus on Tuesday, was treated with
anti-viral drugs but died one day later as her condition worsened due to such
complications as pneumonia, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs
said in an emailed statement.
The woman was categorized as part of the population deemed highly vulnerable to
the disease, given her old age and heart problems, the ministry added. Of the
total confirmed deaths, 29 were elderly people with chronic disease, the ministry
added.
The latest death report comes as South Koreans have been spooked by a rapid
spread of the virus and a spike in the death toll this month. Recently, an
average of 8,000 people have been confirmed as having been infected with the H1N1
virus on a daily basis. Hospitals said up to 30 percent of patients that come in
with cold symptoms end up being treated for the new flu strain.
Hundreds of schools remain shut as the virus is spreading fast among students and
as a growing number of people complain of flu-like symptoms such as fever,
coughing and other respiratory problems, raising concerns that the virus could
turn into a pandemic.
The government is rushing to assuage such public fears, saying that it has a
sufficient amount of anti-viral drugs and that its recently-started vaccinations
will ease the spread of the disease.
On Tuesday, South Korea launched its first round of vaccinations under a plan to
inoculate 35 percent of the country's 49 million people. The first batch of
vaccinations are limited to medical and quarantine staff, who are far more likely
to be exposed to the virus on a daily basis and could transmit it to patients.
In a related move, the ministry said all pharmacies in the country have been
supplied with treatment drugs such as Tamiflu that will be handed out free to
anyone with a doctor's prescription.
It added that to counter the spread of Influenza A, regulators will temporarily
waive the attachment of certificate stamps on all vaccines so shots to school
children can begin around Nov. 11, one week ahead of the original schedule.
The certificate stamps are attached to signify that the product has undergone
quality inspections and are intended to prevent counterfeit medicine from
reaching consumers. The process takes 5-7 days.
Vaccination shots for children under nine years old may take a little longer to
begin since there is a need to reduce dosage for safety reasons.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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