With a growing number of South Korean students who were studying
abroad returning to their hometown, the total number of suspected
SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) cases in South Korea
sharply increased to 41,according to South Korean health
authorities on Wednesday.
So
far, no confirmed SARS case has been reported in South Korea.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) was quoted by national news
agency Yonhap News as saying five male and female students
returning from China Tuesday reported high fevers and abnormal
medical conditions, but adding, "The five students appear
unlikelyto have contracted SARS, but we will do research to
determine the source of their symptoms."
"With the anxiety mounting over SARS, at least one suspected case
has been reported per day since last Thursday," said Kwon Jun-wuk,
chief of the NIH's quarantine division.
To
cope with suspected SARS patients, the NIH plans to designate
hospitals for dealing with them exclusively.
The airports in South Korea have tighten the check of the
passengers coming from the severe contagious disease affected
countries and areas by taking temperatures of them and quarantining
health condition of them.
(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2003)
