USD 2 million to Indian firm to develop swine flu vaccine: WHO

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The World Health Organisation has
given USD two million to an Indian vaccine making firm to
develop and manufacture swine flu vaccine.

"WHO has given two million dollars to Serum Institute of
India (SII) in Pune to develop and manufacture the vaccine.
They have been asked to develop vaccines for both seasonal flu
as well as swine flu," Dr Jai P Narain, Director, communicable
diseases in south-east Asian regional office of WHO said.

Europe and America are in the process of developing the
vaccines, he said.

"India will be ready with the vaccine in another two to
four months. Till then we should not panic. We should
emphasise on preventive actions on all levels like washing our
hands repeatedly, take immense fluid and cover the mouth and
the nose if showing flu like symptoms," Dr Poonam K Singh,
deputy regional director of WHO's office here, said.

As per data available with the international organisation,
Thailand and Indonesia are the worst affected countries in the
south east Asian region because of the H1N1 virus. While
11,398 confirmed cases of swine flu have been reported in
Thailand, 771 have been reported in Indonesia.

"Already 97 deaths have been reported in Thailand as per
the latest WHO data on regions with pandemic H1N1," said
another official.

Dr Narain also cautioned that "Tamiflu should not be
administered to all cases. At a time when it is the only
respite and no vaccines are available, irrational use and
administration of tamiflu to normal flu patients can lead to
drug resistance." PTI SWT
DDC