The Korean health authorities confirmed Saturday one death from Influenza A (H1N1), the first of a kind in the country.
According to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, the man was in his 50s and died Saturday morning shortly after developing acute pneumonia and sepsis. The deceased patient was diagnosed with the influenza virus contraction on Aug. 8, three days after returning from a five-day-trip to Thailand.
The government is conducting probe to track down the exact reason to the death.
There have been 2,032 cases reported as of Aug. 15 where 402 people remained in isolation at their homes or state-designated hospitals. South Korea was considered to be relatively safe from the global pandemic that has affected 177,457 people around the world where 1,462 died, according to the World Health Organization. Most patients here have shown relatively mild symptoms recovered after receiving antibiotic treatment.
Still, the ministry has upgraded its disease alert level to the second highest in July, out of concerns for the increasing number of overseas holidaymakers during summer vacation.
bjs@koreatimes.co.kr