Israel to purchase H1N1 vaccine

JERUSALEM, July 30 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu asked the Health Ministry to buy H1N1 vaccines to fight an expected swine flu pandemic, a statement said.

Netanyahu's decision followed discussions Wednesday with Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and others. The virus has already killed one person in Israel, local media reports said Thursday.

Netanyahu said while the vaccine for the H1N1 virus is still being developed, his decision will place Israel in line for the vaccine, the statement released by his office said.

The prime minister instructed Litzman to work with Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz to find ways of financing the purchase, estimated to cost $110 million, his office said.

In Israel 30 to 40 cases of swine flu are reported daily, The Jerusalem Post said. The paper said CSL and Vaxine pharmaceutical companies are conducting trials on a vaccine in Australia.

Worldwide, there have been 134,503 reported cases of the H1N1 flu, resulting in 816 deaths, World Health Organization figures indicate.