Korea reported its second death from influenza A on Sunday, raising concerns that the country is no longer insulated from the contagious disease that is spreading rapidly worldwide, according to Yonhap News.
The patient, whose identity has been withheld, is a 63-year old woman.
News of the first death came out on Saturday.
According to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, the man was in his 50s and died Saturday [the 15th] morning shortly after developing acute pneumonia and sepsis. The deceased patient was diagnosed with the influenza virus contraction on Aug. 8, three days after returning from a five-day-trip to Thailand.
The government is conducting probe to track down the exact reason to the death.
In the spirit of full disclosure, two days after I came back from Japan I had a really high fever, cold, and sore throat. On Thursday I was finally well enough to stand up, take a shower, and get to the hospital. I was worried that I had contracted the flu, but the doctor said I probably didn't have it. He said that they checked me at the gate when I came back to Korea, so they would have known if I were carrying the flu. (Really?) He looked down my throat and said I had tonsillitis---it really hurts, I don't recommend it---so I've been on a steady diet of yogurt, bananas, and water since Wednesday. That's the main reason I haven't gotten around to that Japan post yet. Perhaps the doctor was right---and reading more about the infection I see that it is accompanied by a fever---but I just found it curious that he didn't take my temperature, do a blood test, or check anything besides my throat.
13 comments:
Re: tonsilitis.
I didn't get tonsilitis back in the States, but got it a number of times in Korea -- until last year when I had my tonsils taken out.
I've been healthy since.
If tonsilitis becomes a regualar occurence, you might consider getting those things taken out.
Yeah, it's my first time.
My brother's never had it, but he's getting them taken out next year just so he doesn't have to worry about them.
Ok...so when are koreans going to stop coughing without covering their mouths?
Brian,
I think you need to press and/or lead the doctor to do the proper evaluation. Korean doctors are notoriaously lazy. Back when I was a simple english teacher, my school made me bring a doctor's note if I was absent from school. I would go to a doctor, tell him my fake symptoms, he'd look in my throat and tell he that it looks imflammed and that I had a cold. Either he is an idiot or playing along. Either way, I'd get a note with diagnoisis and an alibi for fucking around all day. W3000 was a good price to pay for a day or two off.
Koreans will never learn to cover their mouths when they cough.
Maybe I'm alone on this one, but I've been impressed with the quality of Korean doctors, and believe more strongly than ever that socialized medicine is the way to go in the U.S.
Interestingly, I discussed with my summer conversation class the lack of hot water and soap with which to wash hands at our school, and I was surprised to learn that our students see it as a big problem, too.
I'm generally satisfied with the care here, too. I just found it strange that the doctor wasn't more concerned about my symptoms; I know I was, especially since I didn't shake the fever until five days later.
I'm happy that I can walk into a hospital, without an appointment, and see a doctor right away, pay three dollars, walk across the street and get a prescription for five dollars, and be totally done within twenty minutes. In the US it's not even worth going to the doctor unless you're totally dying. You have to make an appointment to see a general practitioner (if there's even a time available that day), then you go in, wait in the waiting room for an hour or two beyond your appointed time, you deal with a doctor who---as I learned last summer when I saw one---can be just as lazy and inefficient as any in Korea, and to top it all off you're dealing with receptionists who act like you're ruining their bad day.
I've found the medical experience much more pleasant in Korea, and if I ever get sick in the USA again I'll just rub some Tussin on it.
I'm surprised that they didn't check your temperature or other vitals. I can't remember any recent visit to a Korean doctor where they didn't take my vitals (or the vitals of whomever I had brought there).
While I wouldn't describe Korean doctors as "lazy," I would point out that Korea's universal health care system as it now stands encourages cursory consultations, and patients need to be better informed health consumers who ask questions and insist on things they think they should be getting (or a reasonable answer as to why they're not getting them). Of course, that's equally true in Hawaii and California, as well, the only other places where I've been to a doctor.
And getting one's tonsils removed is not a good idea in most cases. They are useful components of the immune system; only if they are causing chronic problems should they be removed. Routine tonsillectomies are an archaic practice.
"And getting one's tonsils removed is not a good idea in most cases."
Yes, I agree with this. I didn't know of the benefits of tonsils, but I had tonsilitis a couple of times when I was your age, Brian, and while it was no picnic, it wasn't a big deal in the long run. Whereas voluntary surgery is always risky. (So says the guy who's about to go get Lasik and liposuction in SE Asia.)
I dont see any problems with health care here. I supposed if any flaws exists, its in the same proportion (or remarkably less) as anywhere else.
But the funny part of your story is "He said that they checked me at the gate when I came back to Korea, so they would have known if I were carrying the flu." :) i dont know what he meant when he said that, but one thing is sure, those measures being done in the airports are just for screening, and its far from being conclusive.
"And getting one's tonsils removed is not a good idea in most cases. They are useful components of the immune system; only if they are causing chronic problems should they be removed. Routine tonsillectomies are an archaic practice."
-- I agree. Its good you pointed this out. Oftentimes than not, most people will think that the tonsils are nothing but excess tissue, and is useless hence ok for removal. The evolutionists are the ones to blame for this.
@ Brian
"Perhaps the doctor was right---and reading more about the infection I see that it is accompanied by a fever---but I just found it curious that he didn't take my temperature, do a blood test, or check anything besides my throat."
-- I can understand your worry Brian. Although i can also say that as you have said, the doctor knows of course what he is doing. But if in any case you really want to make sure, try to get a 2nd opinion.
glad things worked out for you and you didnt wind up in quarantine. i'll tell you why the dr didnt do more tests, they can tell pretty easily if its tonsillitis, its a no brainer diagnosis. think they see white spots on your tonsils and thats it, i bet h1n1 doesnt have that symptom
I just got back from Japan with a nasty sore throat as well. My last day in Fukuoka was spent dying slowly in a hotel room pretty much.
My temperature was checked and it was fine. So maybe there was something going around in Japan that was nasty but wasn't H1N1?
Anyways, I feel better now, hope you do as well. May not be tonsilitis, good to have a second opinion as well just in case.
When my girlfriend had food posioning the doctor initially thought she had appendicitis.
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