Kuwait to vaccinate all elementary school kids

Kuwait's health ministry has pledged to vaccinate all elementary school students in the coming days as the country's swine flu death toll rose to 25.

"We will vaccinate all students in elementary schools as well as all people planning to go on pilgrimage. The purpose is obviously to ensure that no pilgrim comes home with the virus," Dr Helal Al Sayer, the health minister, said. "There is no danger with the vaccination and I insisted on being the first one to receive it in Kuwait to prove that it is safe. Taking the shot is not mandatory, but we strongly recommend it," he said.

The latest fatality is a Kuwaiti woman in her 60s who was suffering from heat diseases and diabetes when she was admitted into hospital.

Al Sayer meanwhile warned that another health risk in Kuwait should not be overlooked.

Addressing a medical conference, Al Sayer said that the latest World Health Organization (WHO) statistics indicated a worrying rise in cancer rates in Kuwait. Around 1,300 new cancer cases are diagnosed annually by the health ministry, with 50 per cent of the patients recovering, while the remaining cases succumb to the disease.