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Swine flu death toll rises
(UKPA) ? 2 days ago
At least 30 people have died in the UK after contracting swine flu as the virus spreads faster than any previous flu pandemic, officials said.
A 15-year-old girl - who had underlying medical conditions - was revealed as the 30th British victim linked to the outbreak on Tuesday after she died in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow.
The teenager is the fourth person with swine flu to have died in Scotland as drugs companies across the world work on a vaccine.
Scotland's Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon passed on condolences to her family, adding: "For the vast majority of people who have H1N1, they will experience relatively mild symptoms and make a full recovery."
The update came as the world's first human trials of a swine flu vaccine began in Australia with the aim of controlling the virus that has so far killed more than 700 people worldwide.
Two biotechnology companies have started injecting adult volunteers in the southern city of Adelaide with their vaccines.
Adelaide-based Vaxine began trials with 300 subjects on Monday, and Melbourne's CSL has 240 people in its seven-month trial, which started on Wednesday. The companies said their trials are the first tests of a swine flu vaccine on humans.
In the UK, one of the firms at the forefront of fighting the pandemic is expected to give an update on its anti H1N1 drugs on Wednesday.
GlaxoSmithKline, which also produces flu treatment Relenza, is one of several companies charged with producing a vaccine and will report its second quarter results at midday.
Analysts predict the firm could make around ?1.3 billion from its vaccine next year.
Copyright ? 2009 The Press Association. All rights reserved.