Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday said that the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) vaccine will be arrive in the country within a month. The first consignment of 380,000 doses of Novel AH1N1 2009 would arrive from the USA.

Addressing a press conference at the Ministry auditorium, Minister de Silva said that the vaccine will be first given to health staff and then to the most vulnerable group, which includes pregnant mothers, children and those who suffer from diabetes.

He said that the Ministry was also taking steps to equip the Medical Research Institute (MRI) to test a large number of samples and if the need arise the private sector, too, would be called in to assist.

Director (Public Health) of the Health Ministry Dr. Palitha Mahipala said that according to the official statistics there were 254 confirmed H1N1 cases in Sri Lankan and deaths due to swine flue had been reported from Kandy, Anuradhapura, Matara and from Nuwara Eliya. There were three pregnant mothers among the dead.

"Earlier, the Health Ministry had prepared 20 hospitals island wide to accommodate H1N1 patients. However, with the spreading of the disease, especially in the Central Province, 33 hospitals have been readied to receive patients," Dr. Mahipala said.