Korean Job Discussion Forums

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

So whats the current status with the H1N1 in Korea? How fast is it currently spreading? We've only had a few cases at my school and never closed down. I've heard its spreading rapidly in the West and I wonder: Do you think the schools will try to screw us out of traveling abroad this Winter? Anybody get swine flu yet? How did your school react?

martypants · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ulsan, South Korea

Nothing in my vicinity. Its interesting the panic about it - the only people who have died in Korea are the ones who were old, had asthma, heart disease or just waited until they were nearly dead before seeing a friggin Dr. Only 11 deaths so far. but the schools are checking temperatures daily and hosing the kids down with hand sanitizer

Teddycakes21 · Joined: 18 Oct 2009

mysterious700 · Joined: 10 Mar 2006

Eat large bags of Kimchi and the H1N1 won't dare go near you.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

My wife says it's something like 3,000 new cases per day.

Burndog · Joined: 17 Feb 2008

My school has cancelled classes today and tomorrow. We have about 40 kids down, and 3 teachers. An elementary aged child died at a nearby school last week, so everyone's a bit upset and worried.

mysterious700 · Joined: 10 Mar 2006

GwangjuParents · Joined: 31 Oct 2008

Just watched the Gwangju evening news... about 2000 confirmed cases of Swine flu among students in Gwangju. A 2 year old died today as a result.

There's no stopping this.

I-am-me · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Location: Hermit Kingdom

Its hitting Suwon hard. About 20 got H1N1 at my school and more are expected. I think 20 people have died in Korea already. Korea is about the same size as Florida and i think both have the same number of deaths.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Jane · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

It makes me wonder...the gov't has been doing this big campaign lately to tell people how to have proper hygiene amid this 'h1n1 outbreak', with one of the points brought up is, if you are sick, stay home.

This morning on the subway, there was coughing sneezing coming at me in from all directions.

I wish companies would be more proactive by sending out memos indicating that employees will be sent home if they are sick, so don't come to work. That's the only way people will stay home.

nomad-ish · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:44 pm Post subject:

Jane · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Incidentally, this morning upon entering my company's building, there was a skinny guy clad in a white lab coat and surgical mask checking everyone's temperature as they entered the buiding.

They're hunting you down. Wink

saram_ · Joined: 13 May 2008

Its spreading more and more everywhere, which the experts always feared after Summer finished!!

3 Blackburn Rovers Players in England have been struck down too. The implications will be felt all over really!

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/10/27/200910270054.asp

Nearly 30,000 new flu cases confirmed

Nearly 30,000 patients infected with the H1N1, a subtype of influenza A, were newly confirmed last week, with the nation's first round of vaccinations scheduled to start today.

A 14-year-old boy with asthma, who lived in Gyeonggi Province, died yesterday, bringing the nation's death toll from the disease to 21, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Investigations were also underway into the additional deaths of two disabled children, who died yesterday, possibly from their flu infections at a hospital in Daejeon, health officials said.

According to the weekly influenza surveillance report issued yesterday, the number of influenza-like illness patients was 9.27 per 1,000 inpatients last week, up 62.9 percent from the previous week.

"The flu virus is rapidly regaining strength here. All patients with high fever and respiratory problems are recommended to be administered with antiviral drugs, even though they are not included in high risk groups," said Choi Hee-ju, director of health policy at the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs.

"There will be no problem in securing enough stockpiles of antiviral drugs. The government plans to have Tamiflu for 20 percent of the total population available within the year," Choi added.

Mass infections at schools also continued to increase last week, with a total of 870 new cases, according to the weekly report.

"As the vaccine takes effect two weeks after injection, young students who will get vaccinated in mid-November should pay greater attention to hygiene until December," Choi said.

Despite the declaration of a national emergency by the U.S. government on Saturday, health officials said that the nation is not considering raising its alert level or closing schools.

In a meeting with senior presidential secretaries yesterday, President Lee Myung-bak also asked for all-out efforts against the spread of the disease, turning down the proposal that he and other close aides be inoculated first against the flu virus.

"The Presidential Office limits access of ordinary people. As all visitors are examined before entry, it seems safer than any other place. It will be appropriate for people at higher risk to be vaccinated first," President Lee was quoted as saying by presidential spokesperson Park Sun-kyu.