Swine flu pandemic is unstoppable: WHO

With 12 new deaths owing to swine flu being reported, a World Health Organisation official has said that the deadly pandemic has become 'unstoppable', and all nations need an immediate access to vaccines.

Britain, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, the Philippines and Thailand all reported deaths on July 13, while Saudi Arabia shut an international school after 20 students were diagnosed with the deadly H1N1 virus.

In response to the increasing death toll, Marie-Paul Kieny, WHO director on vaccine research, has said that a swine flu vaccine should be available as early as September.

A group of vaccination experts concluded after a recent meeting that "the H1N1 pandemic is unstoppable and therefore all countries would need to have access to vaccines," the Telegraph quoted Kieny as saying.

In her opinion, health workers should be the first ones to be vaccinated, as they will be in high demand as people continue to fall sick.

She said that while countries would be free to decide on their national priorities, other groups should include pregnant women and anyone over six months old, who has chronic health problems.

Kieny asked for special emphasis on children since they are considered 'amplifiers' of the spread of the virus, especially when gathered in schools.

More than 90,000 swine flu cases have been reported worldwide, including 429 deaths, according to the most recent WHO numbers.