Pandemic still in early stages: WHO expert

The World Health Organisation’s flu chief says the global swine flu pandemic is still in its early stages.

Keiji Fukuda says two billion infections over the course of the pandemic is “a reasonable ballpark to be looking at”.

He said today that previous pandemics show even a few million cases could be “relatively early in the pandemic”.

Mr Fukuda says the Geneva-based agency has, to date, only received confirmed reports of some 130,000 infections worldwide.

He said there must be no doubt over the safety of swine flu vaccines before they are given to the public.

Health officials and drug makers are looking into ways of speeding up the production of the vaccine before the northern hemisphere enters its flu season in the autumn.

But Mr Fukuda said “one of the things which cannot be compromised is the safety of vaccines”.

He said the first vaccines should be available in September and October.

Other vaccines will take until December or January before they are released onto the market.