Qatar- Second batch of H1N1 vaccine arrives, virus claims another life 

(MENAFN - The Peninsula) The second batch of the H1N1 vaccine arrived in Doha, while the country reported the eighth death linked to the disease.

The victim was a 71-year old Jordanian woman, who was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Hamad Medical Corporation over the weekend. She had also suffered from cancer, the Supreme Council of Health said yesterday.

A mass vaccination campaign against H1N1 is expected to be launched immediately after the Eid Al Adha holidays. The second consignment has at least 300,000 doses of the vaccine.

The authorities were expecting 300,000 to 600,000 doses by the end of this month. The first batch of 20,000 doses arrived early this month. The vaccine is currently available for Haj pilgrims and some other vulnerable categories such as health care workers and people suffering from chronic diseases. Children, pregnant women and the elderly would get priority during the mass campaign.

The SCH officials had said that vaccinating two-thirds of the population could prevent a massive outbreak of the disease in the country during winter.