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23. 12. 09. - 13:00

Number vaccinated against swine flu rises to 254,804

By William Green

The number of Austrians who have been vaccinated against swine flu has risen to 254,804, the health ministry reported today (Weds).

It added that 53,239 people had been vaccinated in the past two weeks.

The number already vaccinated does not come close to equalling the 520,000 doses of vaccine Austria received from pharmaceutical firm Baxter at the beginning of November.

According to the contract with Baxter, Austria has a right to 16 million doses if there is a need for them.

The number of cases of swine flu has been declining. The ministry said 16,000 to 26,000 people in Austria had gotten the disease in the past week, compared to 34,000 the previous week. It based its figures on data provided by the Vienna flu surveillance system.

The ministry added that 140 people had been hospitalised with swine flu in the past week, compare to 172 the previous week and 209 the week before that.

In Vienna, the ministry said, 12,700 people had gotten swine flu in the past week, compared to 14,500 to 15,300 the previous week.

There were 2,740 new cases of swine flu in Graz last week, compared to 2,435 the previous week, the ministry noted.

The swine flu pandemic remained in existence, the ministry cautioned, noting no other flu-causing virus had been detected in the country.

Austrian Times

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