A U.S. health official said a swine flu vaccine could be available as early as October, but only if production and testing run smoothly this summer.
Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the agency began shipping virus samples to manufacturers in the past several days. The government will have to review the safety and effectiveness of what is produced and decide whether a vaccination campaign is warranted.
CDC officials reported more than 8,500 probable and confirmed cases in the United States.
Meanwhile, health officials in an Illinois county said a 42-year-old man has died from complications of swine flu. The officials said the victim had other medical problems. The man is the third person in the state to die from swine flu.
– Associated Press
Tags: health, medical, october 2009, problem, swine flu, vaccine, victim
