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UN to discuss swine flu vaccine World swine flu toll nears 10,000
(about 8 hours later)
UN chief Ban Ki-moon is to meet top pharmaceutical firms to discuss the production of a swine flu vaccine. Nearly 10,000 cases of swine flu have been confirmed in 40 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
Together with World Health Organization (WHO) head Margaret Chan, he is set to ask for commitments over the scale and cost of vaccine production. The WHO said 79 people are known to have died from the new virus.
There is concern about the global distribution of a possible vaccine after wealthy states pre-ordered large stocks, correspondents say. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urged "global solidarity", particularly in distributing any vaccine and avoiding trade and travel restrictions.
Meanwhile, Japan has confirmed dozens more cases of the flu. Some medical charities have suggested that the large vaccine orders already placed by wealthy countries will mean there will not be enough for everyone.
The new cases brought the total number of people to have caught the virus in Japan to 173. The WHO says the global tally of swine flu cases stands at 9,830, after rising by 1,001 in one day.
Japanese media say the new wave in infections makes Japan the fourth-most infected country in the world, after Mexico, the US and Canada. Most of the new flu victims were in Mexico, which reported some 545 cases, and the US, where 409 new cases were confirmed. There were also 34 new cases in Japan.
'Debate not happening' Five confirmed cases were reported in Panama, three in Chile, two in El Salvador and one each in the UK, Peru and China.
In Geneva, Mr Ban will be looking for a commitment to increase capacity and to produce vaccines at a fair price, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports. Five new deaths have also been reported - four in Mexico and one in the US.
Pharmaceutical companies are committed to producing a seasonal flu vaccine and somehow capacity has to be found to produce an affordable swine flu vaccine as well, she says. Scramble for vaccines
Rich countries like Britain and the US have pre-ordered vast stocks of such a vaccine before a single dose has been produced, leading to concerns about future global supplies. Mr Ban will want to ensure vaccines are available at an affordable price
Michele Childs of the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) said that wealthy countries were "putting in place these agreements with vaccine manufacturers to basically jump the queue". Mr Ban Ki-moon and WHO head Margaret Chan held talks with about 30 pharmaceutical companies about commitments over the production of a vaccine.
Addressing the WHO annual assembly later, he said: "We do not yet know how far and how fast it will spread, how serious the illness will be and, indeed, how many lives will be lost."
Calling for "solidarity", he said everyone must have access to drugs and vaccines.
He added: "It means that self-defeating restrictions on trade and travel are avoided."
Pharmaceutical companies are committed to producing a seasonal flu vaccine and somehow capacity has to be found to produce an affordable swine flu vaccine as well, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports.
Rich countries such as Britain and the US have pre-ordered vast stocks of such a vaccine before a single dose has been produced, leading to concerns about future global supplies.
Michele Childs of medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said that wealthy countries were "putting in place these agreements with vaccine manufacturers to basically jump the queue".
"What needs to be done is all of the countries need to agree how it will be equably shared, based on need, so if one country has got a huge outbreak then they need to be getting the vaccines first," she said."What needs to be done is all of the countries need to agree how it will be equably shared, based on need, so if one country has got a huge outbreak then they need to be getting the vaccines first," she said.
"But that debate is not happening.""But that debate is not happening."
Schools closed
In Japan the number of swine flu cases has continued to rise rapidly.In Japan the number of swine flu cases has continued to rise rapidly.
Officials doubled the closures of schools and universities in Hyogo and Osaka on Tuesday, bringing the total to more than 4,000. The new cases brought the total number of people to have caught the virus in Japan to at least 176, according to authorities there.
Just four cases had been confirmed in Japan as of Friday - people who had returned from Canada.Just four cases had been confirmed in Japan as of Friday - people who had returned from Canada.
The first case in someone who had not been abroad - a 17-year-old student in Kobe - was reported on Saturday.The first case in someone who had not been abroad - a 17-year-old student in Kobe - was reported on Saturday.
Japanese media say the new wave of infections makes Japan the fourth-most infected country in the world, after Mexico, the US and Canada.
Officials doubled the closures of schools and universities in Hyogo and Osaka on Tuesday, bringing the total to more than 4,000.
None of the patients in the new wave of Japanese infections were reported to be in serious condition.None of the patients in the new wave of Japanese infections were reported to be in serious condition.