Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia

First Tamiflu-resistant Swine Flu Case Reported in South Korea

by Trilok Kapur on Dec 1 2009 6:31 AM

South Korea's first case of swine flu, resistant to the anti-viral drug Tamiflu, was reported by Health authorities on calling for extra precautions against any future cases.

The health ministry said in a statement that it found a Tamiflu-resistant strain of the (A)H1N1 virus in a five-year-old boy, who needed repeated and doubled doses of Tamiflu to recover.

Another anti-viral drug, Relenza, proved effective in specimens taken from the child, but he was too young to take the drug, it added.

The ministry urged people to report immediately to hospitals or health authorities if Tamiflu had no effect five straight days after the first dose.

It said the World Health Organization has reported 75 Tamiflu-resistant cases globally since the first such case in North America in April.

South Korea's swine flu death toll has reached, 104 but the spread of the disease is waning, according to the ministry.

Source-AFP
TRI


Advertisement