WHO sends 200m vaccines to poor

The World Health Organisation plans to distribute 200 million doses of swine flu vaccine to 100 developing countries.

WHO secretary-general Margaret Chan says shipments could begin next month.

Cuba is on the list of recipients. State media reports that Cuba will accept vaccines, putting aside previous skepticism about their effectiveness. The communist government previously said it would rely on the army sealing off areas where the virus is spreading and mass quarantines to fight swine flu. Cuba has reported seven deaths and 793 confirmed cases.

The WHO says nearly 5,000 swine flu deaths have been reported worldwide. - (Sapa, October 2009)

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