“We have already requested it to the [World Health Organization],” said Dr. Justin Wane, who heads the Ministry of Health’s H1N1 flu response team.
However, he said it was unknown when the vaccine doses, which would be enough to vaccinate about 10 per cent of the population, would arrive in the country.
Vaccines for the pandemic flu commonly known as swine flu have been approved in a number of developed countries.
In September, nine countries – the United States, Australia, Brazil, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom – promised to share their H1N1 vaccine supply with developing countries.
Pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi-Pasteur have also pledged to provide the WHO with 150 million doses of the vaccine for distribution to poorer countries.
According to the Ministry of Health, none of the confirmed flu cases have been severe, while 81 infected people have completed treatment for the virus.
Wane explained that none of the patients have been admitted to the hospital and all were treated at home.
Treatment involves two doses a day of the drug Tamiflu, for a total of five days, followed by two days of rest.
After completing the full 7 days of treatment, patients are able to return to their daily activities, said Wane.
Those seeking for information on the virus can call the public hotline at 3334 or 3335.