200,000 suspicious swine flu cases in Algeria

More than 200,000 suspicious H1N1 cases are in Algeria while the health ministry launched an awareness-raising campaign about the vaccine.

• Crisis cell experts say the virus spreading had a drop in the country after it had reached a climax in December as 166 cases had been confirmed in a week.
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• According to a report by the experts, Algeria can reduce its anti-swine flu vaccine as most of people refuse to take the vaccine. The government ordered 20 million doses imported from a Canada-based British laboratory.
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• Some 2 percent of medical staff have been vaccinated since health minister Said Barkat launched a national vaccination campaign started in late December. 
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• The ministry held conferences and meetings on the safeness of the vaccine. Experts are working on an awareness-raising brochure to be distributed on pupils’ parents in the next few weeks.
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• A total of 8 million pupils are expected to take the vaccine as soon as the brochure is done.