8 million vaccinated for swine flu, 16 dead

08:13, November 10, 2009
More than 8 million people have been vaccinated for the swine flu virus in China as of Sunday, the Ministry of Health said on its website. However, there is still a while to go to reach the target. The ministry said it wanted to vaccinate 390 million people by November 1.

According to the latest report by the ministry, the death toll from the virus is 16 nationwide and 124 victims are in serous condition as of 3 pm Friday. More are expected to be victimized, hospital sources revealed.

The peak for the swine virus is yet to come, experts warned, and the epidemic will last for one to two months, said Feng Zijian, director of the ministry's emergency response department and a health expert for the Chinese Center of Disease Prevention and Control.

Some regions have stepped up vaccination program amid the serious situation.

Beijing, with a population of 16.33 million at the end of 2007, widened the scope to offer free vaccines to all permanent residents 3 and older.

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