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ShareNew Delhi: With cases of swine flu on the rise in the country, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the number of testing laboratories has been increased from two to 18 and hoped that India will be able to develop the vaccine ahead of other nations.
"We can now get the testing facility in 18 laboratories instead of two," Azad said in response to a calling attention motion on the matter in Rajya Sabha.
He said the country will be able to make the flu vaccine earlier than other countries as the scientists were already on the job and the drug authorities are getting the nod from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The minister said that the disease is practically "non-existent" in the country as compared to some other countries which have a greater geographical expansion and lesser population than India.
"There have been 109 cases so far of which 70 (patients) have already gone back (from the hospital). Fortunately, no deaths have taken place in India," he said.
Azad said of the 109 cases, there was "imported virus" in 100. Among these patients, 70 per cent came from US alone.
On the preparedness of the government, he said 45,000 people are screened daily at the international airports and in 48 days, 26 lakh people have been screened.
