WORLD> Asia-Pacific
S Korea testing suspected swine flu case
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-28 11:32

SEOUL -- South Korean health authorities are conducting clinical tests on a 51-year-old woman who is displaying symptoms of swine flu upon her return from Mexico, officials said on Tuesday.

Three people in South Korea had been identified as suspected cases of the infection, but two have tested negative, the head of infectious disease response at the South Korean Center for Disease Control, Jun Byung-yool, told a televised briefing.

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"Precision testing is being conducted on one of the people," Jun said, adding the woman remains at home avoiding contact with the outside but has not been quarantined at a public health facility.

The woman was in southern Mexico until April 25 and returned to South Korea with a stop-over in Los Angeles, Jun said.

Her condition does not appear to be life-threatening and South Korea could have more results from testing on her as early as Wednesday, he added.

The World Health Organisation has warned that the new flu virus, a mixture of swine, human and avian flu viruses that has killed up to 149 people in Mexico, could start a pandemic, raising its alert to indicate a significantly increased risk.