Canadian H1N1 Afghan vaccinations probed

OTTAWA, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Canada's minister of health is investigating how military detainees in Afghanistan could receive H1N1 flu vaccinations ahead of Canadians at home.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq told an Ottawa news conference Tuesday she was "very disturbed by the news (that detainees in Afghanistan were vaccinated) and I can say that we did not make this outrageous decision," the Canwest News Service reported.

Military officials said 2,000 of Canada's combat troops have already been vaccinated, but under the Geneva Conventions, detainees and prisoners must also receive similar care.

Spokesman Maj. Mario Couture told Canwest the vaccines in Afghanistan are not taken from supplies destined for the public. Shortages have caused long lines in Canada as people seek the H1N1 flu vaccine.

Also at the news conference, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. David Butler-Jones said in the last week of October, there were 661 hospitalizations linked to the virus. He said there have been 20 more deaths in Canada since Thursday, for a total of 135 since the virus originally called swine flu emerged in Mexico in April.

Canada has 50.4 million doses of vaccine on order, and officials said about 8.5 million doses will have been delivered by the end of this week.