[“Good Friends” aims to help the North Korean people from a humanistic point of view and publishes “North Korea Today” describing the way the North Korean people live as accurately as possible. We at Good Friends also hope to be a bridge between the North Korean people and the world.]
______________________________________________________________
[Hot Topics No. 309-1]
Swine Flu Breaks Out in Sinuiju
_______________________________________________________________
[Hot Topics No. 309-1]
Swine Flu Breaks Out in Sinuiju
Swine flu is going around in Sinuiju North Pyongan Province. Yesterday and today primary care physicians are visiting each household to conduct epidemiological investigation. It was reported that there are more people with fever today than yesterday. The symptoms are similar to a regular flu at the onset, but it progresses into severe coughing, fever, and pain in the joints. Suh Hye-ran (alias) thought her young daughter was having a cold, but her coughing became very severe. So, she took her daughter to a doctor and learned that it was a swine flu. Ms. Suh said in frustration, “The doctor told me this is a new flu transmitted by virus from pigs and I heard that Kaesong area is completely quarantined. My daughter is now complaining about pain in the lungs. I need some kind of medicine like fever remedy, antibiotics, or vitamins, but I can’t get them anywhere.” Doctors are saying that they need a third-generation antibiotics called cefotaxime for intravenous injection even though it is not a cure for swine flu. They say at least 10 of them in penicillin bottle are needed. The medicine was traded at 1,200-1,300 NK won per bottle among individual medicine dealers, but it is difficult to obtain because all sales are suspended with the currency revaluation. The current situation requires an immediate action against the new flu virus at the national level.
