S.Korea Says Four Workers Infected With Bird Flu Virus Two Years Ago

S.Korea says four workers infected with bird flu virus two years ago

SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — The South Korean disease control authorities on Friday confirmed four workers were infected with bird flu virus during the spread of the avian influenza in late 2003 and early 2004 in the country.

According to the state-run (South) Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, four workers who were engaged in the slaughtering of dead poultry two years ago have tested positive for avian influenza. But the four do not suffer any symptoms of the disease.

The confirmation was made public after the U.S. disease control authorities made accurate tests on their blood samples.

South Korea was hit by the bird flu of the H5N1 strain between December 2003 and March 2004, requiring 5.3 million poultry to be destroyed. At that time, South Korea claimed no human was infected by the flu.

South Korean Welfare and Health Ministry is scheduled to held press conference Friday late afternoon to brief on details on the case.