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100 schools a day close due to fears over the flu

Published: 02 Nov. 2009, 21:14

A classroom in an elementary school in Ulsan is empty yesterday as the school closed temporarily due to the spread of A(H1N1) flu. [NEWSIS]

The A(H1N1) virus is dealing a harsh blow to schools.

The number of schools temporarily shutting down due to the outbreak of the new strain of influenza is increasing by a daily average of 100, the Education Ministry said yesterday. As of last Saturday, schools out of operation for a limited period numbered 528, up 101 on the day before.

“The number of people confirmed each day with the virus averaged 8,857 last week, double the figure for a week earlier. On Oct. 30, the number of prescriptions for anti-viral medicine totaled 124,000, the biggest daily tally,” the Health Ministry said, adding that numbers will contract over the next three to four weeks.

Given the urgency of the situation, the ministry said it plans to release comprehensive measures against the new strain of influenza today after meeting with other related ministries and experts. It is expected to raise the flu alert to the highest level: red.

The flu is expected to affect the college entrance exam on Nov. 12. The Gyeonggi Province Education Office said it will ask each of the 235 schools in the region to set aside two rooms on the test date for students with the virus. But the office has yet to recruit enough teachers to supervise test takers with the new flu because they are worried about exposure to the virus.

Schools say they are considering selecting teachers for the task and making the job mandatory after initially planning to accept voluntary applications.

The education office said it will pay a daily allowance of 140,000 won ($118.44) to each teacher asked to supervise in the flu room. That’s 40,000 won more than the amount given to teachers overseeing regular test takers.

As a preventive measure, the Education Ministry said it will ensure all teachers wear masks.

Meanwhile, with the flu prevailing across the nation, sales of food products that are thought to enhance the immune system are flying off the shelves. According to Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corp., sales of ginseng and red ginseng surged 20 percent in the first 10 months of this year from the same period a year ago. Shinsegae Department Store said sales of health products such as ginseng and vitamins jumped 37.5 percent over the same period.

By Seo Ji-eun [[email protected]]