Australia develops bird flu vaccine for humans

Asia and the rest of the world may not need to worry about the bird flu infection in human beings anymore, thanks to the vaccine developed by Australia.

Announcing the breakthrough development, Australia’s Health Minister Nicola Roxon said, here, Tuesday that the country has developed a vaccine to protect humans against infection by the avian influenza virus.

“The first Australian-made vaccine to protect humans from future bird flu pandemics has been granted approval for use in the event, of course, of an avian influenza outbreak,” Roxon told reporters.

The vaccine, developed by CSL Biotherapies Australia, is expected to protect humans against the H5N1 strain of influenza responsible for outbreaks of bird flu in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, reports Xinhua.

“We know, of course, that if there is an outbreak that affects Australians, we need to make sure that we are properly prepared,” Roxon said.

Australia has earmarked US $150 million in this year’s federal budget to replenish the country’s vaccine stockpile, the report said.