China gives swine flu vaccines to 2,000 Muslims making pilgrimage to Mecca

October 29th, 2009 more images more imagesMecca-bound pilgrims prompt swine flu precautionsWASHINGTON — Some of the millions who travel to Saudi Arabia next month for the annual hajj will be greeted with face masks, hand sanitizer and fever checks as health officials strive to stem the spread of swine flu during the world's largest pilgrimage. The Saudi health ministry, aided by the U.S.

October 29th, 2009 more images more imagesChina to lift swine flu-inspired ban on US porkWASHINGTON — Chinese officials have agreed to lift the ban on U.S. pork imports they imposed last spring out of fear of swine flu.

October 27th, 2009 more images more imagesChina reports 3rd confirmed swine flu deathBEIJING — Chinese officials moved to give swine flu vaccinations to thousands of Muslims making a pilgrimage to Mecca in the coming days as health authorities reported the mainland's third death from the illness. China has acted aggressively to detect and contain swine flu cases after being accused of failing to move quickly enough to stop the 2003 outbreak of SARS.

October 11th, 2009 CDC official downplays risk from swine flu vaccineWASHINGTON — A top U.S. health official says the risks from not getting the swine flu vaccine are greater than any potential risks associated with the vaccine.

October 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The external affairs ministry has issued an advisory for Haj pilgrims for prevention of H1N1 pandemic flu during the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The advisory suggests that pilgrims should not shake hands or hug in greeting during the Haj, unless it is a mandatory religious activity.

October 6th, 2009 TUNIS/CAIRO - Tunisians will not be allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Muslim pilgrimage or Haj because of fears of the H1N1 virus, known also as swine flu, the government announced Tuesday. No other country has yet said it would prevent its citizens from making the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in late November for fear they might contract the virus.

September 28th, 2009 BEIJING - Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu has said that no "serious adverse reaction" has been reported from people being immunized with the China-made A/H1N1 flu vaccine. Zhu's comments follow reports of Beijing announcing 14 cases of adverse reaction out of 39,000 residents, who were inoculated with the vaccine.

September 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Five more swine flu deaths - four in Karnataka and one in Andhra Pradesh - were reported Saturday, taking India's toll due to the influenza A (H1N1) virus to 290, health authorities said here. Three more suspected swine flu deaths have been reported from Andhra Pradesh, but officials said they were awaiting the laboratory reports for confirmation.

September 23rd, 2009 BEIJING - In their bid to control the fast spreading swine flu epidemic, authorities in China have so far administered H1N1 vaccine shots to more than 39,000 people, an epidemic control expert said Wednesday. Liang Xiaofeng, director of the immunization centre under the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said as of Tuesday only 14 people developed side effects after taking the vaccine shots.

September 21st, 2009 HONG KONG - The production of swine flu vaccines is on track to reach three billion inoculations within the next year, the head of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan, said Monday. About 25 companies worldwide are now producing vaccines against the H1N1 virus, Chan said on the opening day of the annual general meeting for WHO's western Pacific region in Hong Kong.

September 21st, 2009 LUCKNOW - Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramzan, was celebrated with enthusiasm in this Uttar Pradesh capital Monday with Muslim clerics appealing to the community members to join hands for eradicating polio from the state. "After holding prayers, I personally appealed to the Muslims to make efforts to combat polio," Maulana Khalid Rasheed, prominent Sunni cleric who heads Lucknows oldest Islamic seminary, told IANS.

September 17th, 2009 US to share 10 percent swine flu vaccine globallyWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says the United States will share 10 percent of its swine flu vaccine supply with other nations. The White House on Thursday announced that the move would help fight the global spread of swine flu, known among scientists as H1N1.

September 11th, 2009 Top economies discuss use of swine flu vaccinesBRUSSELS — The world's seven largest economies and Mexico agreed Friday that the first doses of swine flu vaccinations should be given to pregnant women, health workers and those with risky health conditions. EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said all countries at the Group of Seven talks "remain vigilant" to stop the spread of the virus as the fall and winter flu season approaches in the northern hemisphere.

September 3rd, 2009 BEIJING - China Thursday approved a swine flu vaccine produced by the domestic pharmaceutical company Sinovac, making it the first to get a production license in the global race. The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) issued the license for Sinovac's vaccine called Panflu.1 Thursday, after it passed SFDA's experts evaluation Aug 31.

September 2nd, 2009 China set to approve 1-dose swine flu vaccinesBEIJING — China will soon approve domestically developed swine flu vaccines that manufacturers say can protect people against the virus with only one dose, an encouraging development for health officials racing to prepare for an expected spike in cases this winter. Many health authorities are assuming two doses of vaccine are necessary while they await the results of trials by drug makers around the world to determine the appropriate dosage.