Swine flu vaccine trials begin in Australia as death toll tops 700

As Australian scientists embark on the first trials of a swine flu vaccine the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that the H1N1 virus (swine flu) has now killed more than 700 people around the world since the outbreak began four months ago.

The WHO says there are now over 125,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of swine flu worldwide but the number of actual cases is suspected to be far in excess of that figure - the pandemic is developing at such a rapid speed the WHO says it is now pointless to try to document every case.

The WHO says though there has been a two-thirds rise in the death toll in the last two weeks, most cases continue to produce only mild symptoms and the overwhelming majority of patients usually recover, even without medical treatment, within a week of falling ill.

The Australian swine flu vaccine trials commissioned by the Federal Government are due to begin at the Royal Adelaide Hospital today - the Federal Government has already ordered 21 million doses of the vaccine which is produced by vaccine makers CSL and it is likely that the vaccine will be distributed worldwide.

Dr. Rachel David from CSL says the trials will take about seven months, but by September enough data should be available for the Government to start planning distribution in October.

Dr. David says there will be 240 volunteers between 18 and 64 split into two groups - one group of volunteers will get a single dose of the vaccine, while the other group will receive a double dose - a trial on children aged six months to nine years is scheduled to start at Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital next month.

In three weeks blood tests will be carried out to establish the immune response of the volunteers to the vaccine which will help decide the most effective dose.

Adelaide company Vaxine has also started trials of its synthetic protein and plant-based swine flu vaccine which has been developed without Government support - Vaxine hopes to sell its synthetic product overseas.

The rapid spread of the swine flu pandemic has forced the WHO to change strategy and place the emphasis on quick response to severe outbreaks to minimise impact, rather than on attempting to halt the spread of the virus.

The WHO says producing lists of laboratory-confirmed cases of swine flu has become a waste of resources and WHO is not advocating a uniform global plan, but says each country should tailor its response to its own particular situation.

The United States has experienced the greatest number of reported cases, at 40,000, and the greatest number of deaths, at 263, prompting the U.S. government to declare a public health emergency - health officials there believe there may have been more than a million cases, but say the overall influenza activity is abating.

In Australia the swine flu outbreak is stretching the health system with more than 14,000 cases and almost 40 deaths and pregnant women and indigenous people appear to be particularly vulnerable.

Health experts continue to emphasise that good hygiene can help prevent infection with swine flu and regular washing of hands, covering the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing and discarding used tissues immediately, will all offer some protection.