The health ministry on Friday confirmed another four influenza A (H1N1) deaths, bringing the country’s death toll to 31 since the disease was first detected here in May.

The department said they were admitted to hospitals with symptoms like fatigue and respiratory discomfort, and were given treatment with antiviral drug Tamiflu before blood samples were sent for testing.

The tests confirmed the victims had swine flu.

Also on Friday, the Ministry of Health reported 10,367 people nationwide have been inflicted with the virus so far, of whom 9,952 have been released after full recovery. Others still receiving treatment in hospitals were in stable condition, it said.

In response to the increasing number of H1N1 infections, the ministry has ordered local health clinics to give Tamiflu to patients with flu symptoms even before testing, except in specific acase certain cases.

In the meantime, Vietnam is awaiting the first batches of H1N1 vaccines given by the World Health Organization (WHO) set to arrive next month, and expects to receive over one million doses by next year.

“At first WHO can support two percent of our population with vaccines, meaning over one million doses,” Nguyen Huy Nga, head of the Preventive Health and Environment Department, told the Tuoi Tre newspaper.

“WHO then will continue the support, but not more than 10 percent of the population will be vaccinated,” he said.

However, the aim of vaccinating two percent of the population was not to stamp out the epidemic, but to protect high risk groups, he added.

While waiting for the WHO support and speeding up the production of local vaccines that are expected to be in the market by next autumn, the country is also preparing to import 500,000 doses in the fourth quarter of this year.

Although pharmaceutical companies are yet to apply for distributing rights for H1N1 vaccines in Vietnam, the health ministry has created all necessary conditions so that once they complete their applications, licenses can be granted as soon as possible, Nga said.

Vietnam will give vaccination priority to pregnant women, people with chronic diseases, children, and health workers, the health ministry said.

It has also submitted three different vaccination plans to the Prime Minister for approval. Under the first plan, 909,000 people belonging to priority groups in ten most crowded provinces and cities experiencing rapid spread of the epidemic.

The second one will vaccinate 1.5 million people at 20 provinces and cities, while the last plan will cover 3.2 million people in all 63 provinces and cities in the nation.

So far over VND790.6 million (US$44,278) has been allocated to 52 provinces and cities. according to the Ministry of Finance.

On October 15 the Prime Minister agreed to a Finance Ministry proposal to add another VND594.15 million ($33,276) to the budget for fighting the disease.

Source: VNA, Tuoi Tre