The government has lowered its flu alert level one notch to “Orange” from the highest level “Red.”

The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said it plans to disband the central disaster relief headquarters set up under the Ministry of Public Administration and Security following its decision to downgrade the alert level.

The central disaster relief headquarters said there were 22 patients with H1N1 flu symptoms per one-thousand who went to see doctors last week, down from 44 one month earlier.

The downgrading of the alert level comes approximately one month after the government raised it to "Red," the highest level on the four-stage pandemic alert system that also includes Blue and Yellow.

But the Health Ministry will maintain its emergency medical response system since the number of H1N1 flu patients is still increasing, although the flu appears to have somewhat subsided.

As of December sixth, 123 people have died from the H1N1 flu in Korea.

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