South Korea-

H1N1 Cases Soar to 2,819

• [2009-08-22, 12:05:47]

The government’s flu task force confirmed 144 new flu cases on Friday, raising the nation’s total number of confirmed cases to two-thousand-819.

Some 800 flu patients are being treated in their homes while seriously ill patients remain hospitalized.

The nation has confirmed at least 100 cases of the new flu each day this week, with more than 200 cases confirmed on Thursday alone. The surging numbers are prompting concerns that a flu pandemic will begin earlier than expected.

Only government-designated hospitals and pharmacists can distribute antiviral drugs to flu patients. The list of authorized medical care providers is available online at the Internet homepages of the Health Ministry and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Medical costs for flu confirmation are covered by health insurance while antiviral drugs are provided free of charge.