A+ A-

Four million French to be hit by forthcoming flu outbreak

PARIS, Sept 25 (KUNA) -- Around four million people in France are expected to contract the flu virus this winter, a relatively high number compared with previous outbreaks of the debilitating illness.
French daily "Liberation" quoted health sources as saying, in its edition published on Tuesday, that this years outbreak could take on "pandemic" proportions due to climatic factors and the strain of virus expected to hit the country.
Flu specialists here told the newspaper that predictions indicate that the flu will be the same as the one that hit Australia in July and August and it could hit France between October 2007 and the beginning of 2008.
The effect of the "El Nino" climate system will provide either neutral or cold conditions in France during the above period and the range of flu cases could be between 3.2 million and 4.7 million, with a median of four million, the health sources said.
France will begin selling vaccines against the flu on September 28 and these are available free of charge for children and elderly people, while others must pay for inoculation.
Last year, some two million people contracted the flu in France. (end) jk.rk KUNA 251353 Sep 07NNNN