Dutch Health Minister Ab Klink says the Mexican flu vaccine is safe. He was speaking on the TROS Kamerbreed radio programme on Saturday, in response to earlier reports that the vaccine contained substances said to be unhealthy for humans.

Eleven people have now died from the A(H1N1) flu virus in the Netherlands. The country has ordered 34 million shots of vaccine, and the first to receive them will be those in the high-risk groups. These include pregnant women and the elderly. An announcement will be issued later in the week as to whether small children are to be vaccinated.

A national telephone information line dealing specifically with the Mexican flu, and set up to relieve the strain on doctors, has been inundated with calls. On Friday, 1500 people called. On Saturday, more than 1100 people called. When the line was first set up, it received no more than 1500 calls in a week. Many of the callers are parents worried about the symptoms of the flu in small children.

The number is 0800-1100.

Photo of flu vaccination by ANP