New Flu Claims 4th Death
By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter
A 47-year-old woman infected with type-A influenza died Wednesday, raising the local death count from the deadly H1N1 virus to four.
``She died at a hospital in the metropolitan area after contracting the virus Saturday,'' an official with the Ministry of Health and Welfare said.
Unlike previous cases, she showed no symptoms of respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, although she had underlying conditions of hypertension, diabetes and kidney failure.
The government is looking into the specifics of the case, particularly to find out how much of a role the virus played in the death of a patient who was already suffering from various ailments.
There is the possibility the death toll may rise, as the condition of another flu patient has suddenly deteriorated, officials added.
The latest flu death came six days after a Seoul resident in his 60s died after being hospitalized with symptoms of pneumonia.
On Aug. 15, a man in his 50s, who had recently returned from a trip to Thailand, died after contracting the H1N1 virus, the first such case. The second death ― a woman in her 50s ― followed a day later.
In the worst case scenario, experts estimate the flu might cause up to 20,000 deaths.
Korea reported its first new flu outbreak in early May. A total of 4,293 have been infected so far and 1,796 of the patients are still undergoing treatment.
Last week, the ministry said it will vaccinate 10 million people against the virus this year.
Korea has secured an order for 10 million doses of an anti-viral vaccine, with additional purchases planned next year.
Full-scale vaccinations will begin in November.
Officials projected that 27 percent of the country's population of 48 million will get flu shots by February 2010.