First batch of swine flu vaccines due in days

The first 30,000 batches of the swine flu vaccine will arrive in the country next week, it was confirmed tonight.

Health chiefs said the doses will come from US drugs company Baxter International, while more will arrive from a second pharmaceutical group around the end of September.

Some 75 people with the potentially deadly bug have been hospitalised, with 21 still in care.

Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer, said the number of cases being diagnosed was stabilising.

“Overall the picture in terms of our understanding of the quantum of the disease in the country is one of stabilisation,” he said.

“We’re seeing a pretty sustained low level of infection in the population over the last number of weeks.”

The top medic said up to 40% of those hospitalised have suffered from an underlying medical condition.

Four people are in intensive care.

As of last Sunday the rate of diagnoses in the community was at 33.4 per 100,000.

Dr Kevin Kelleher, Head of Health Protection with the HSE, said they were targeting schools in advance of the new term to ensure proper hygiene.

Two people have already died from the H1N1 virus in recent weeks.