The spread of the H1N1 virus in South Korea has been slowing sharply in recent weeks, with fewer infections being reported, the nation's health authorities said Tuesday.
According to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, the number of people showing flu-like symptoms per 1,000 outpatients fell to 2.8 during the 10th week of this year from 3.3 the previous week. The 10th week refers to the period from Feb. 28 to March 6.
The rate stood at 9.69 during the first week of this year but has been falling steadily ever since, indicating that the infection rate of the highly contagious disease is subsiding. The ministry expects the rate will fall below 2.6 in the following week, a benchmark level that determines the government's move to issue or withdraw a flu watch.
The figures come after the health ministry lowered its alert level against the H1N1 virus, or type-A flu, by one notch to the second-lowest "yellow" in the nation's four-step alert system on March 8.
South Korea first raised the alert level to "yellow" in May after the infection rate started to pick up and then hiked it further to "orange" and "red" in July and November, respectively, when the disease seemed to be getting out of control. It has killed a total of 243 people here since the first infection was reported in April last year.
The government has stepped up efforts to stave off a pandemic by vaccinating its citizens against the disease. The flu shot started to be given in late October, with priority given to those considered at-risk, such as medical personnel and school children.
The ministry, however, cautioned that it is too early to fall into complacency as infection could rise again with the change of season and the end of winter vacation for students, saying that it will "closely" watch developments down the road before deciding to further lower the disease alert level.