November 15, 2006

Scarlet fever nearing pandemic in N.Korea - Yonhap

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea could be facing a scarlet fever pandemic after the disease broke out last month in its Ryanggang province which borders China, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday.

It quoted a source close to North Korea, who declined to be named, as saying the disease had been spreading fast to other parts of the country and risked turning into a full-blown pandemic.

The Daily NK www.dailynk.com, a Web site run by anti-North Korean government activists, last month quoted a number of sources as saying that the disease had spread to several places along the border and the area had been closed and quarantined.

Scarlet fever is normally easily contained with antibiotics but can lead to serious infections if left untreated.