S. Korea raises flu alert to highest level

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in lead, para 3; ADDS with more details from para 4)
SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday raised its flu alert status to
the highest "red" level and moved to set up a central disaster relief
headquarters to better combat the rapid spread of Influenza A (H1N1).
The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said the number of confirmed
H1N1 flu cases has doubled in recent weeks with the onset of cold weather.
The country had maintained its "orange" alert status since July 21 but decided to
raise it as an average of 8,857 people caught the new flu per day last week, up
from 4,420 tallied for the week before. A total of 42 people have died in South
Korea from the flu since mid-August.
Government efforts will be focused on coping with serious flu cases and
vaccinating about 35 percent of the population as soon as possible to safeguard
public health, the ministry said.
It also called for a central disaster relief headquarters to be set up under the
Ministry of Public Administration and Security to enhance the government's
response to the epidemic.
"The government will move to mobilize all available medical personnel to treat
patients and enhance the country's capability to provide anti-viral drugs," a
official said.
Seoul will strengthen its monitoring of hospitals and clinics to gauge the extent
of Influenza A's spread, he added.
Health authorities, in addition, said they will advance vaccinations of all
school children by one or two weeks, and stockpile 11 million dosages of
anti-viral drugs.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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