S. Korea reports 2 more flu-related deaths

SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Two more people infected with the Influenza A virus
have died in South Korea, raising the death toll from the contagious disease here
to 42, health authorities said Tuesday.

The two men aged 71 and 48 were diagnosed as having contracted the H1N1 virus
late last month after being admitted to hospitals, the Ministry for Health,
Welfare and Family Affairs said in a press release.
The older man had been battling cancer and was classified as a "high risk"
patient, while doctors said the younger of the two did not suffer from any
chronic illness.
The death of the 48-year-old marks the first time that a healthy middle aged man
has succumbed to the flu in the country.
"With the number of infections rising rapidly, there is growing risk that healthy
people may die from the H1N1 flu virus," a ministry official said.
There were an average 8,857 people per day confirmed as having caught the new flu
last week, up from 4,420 tallied the week before.
The ministry, meanwhile, said it is looking into the deaths of three other people
who reported flu-like symptoms in recent days.
Health authorities said they plan to raise the flu alert status to its highest
"red" level later in the day, which could permit better pooling of personnel and
state-led measures to combat the virus.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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