Czech Republic’s swine flu death toll rises to nearly 50

Ten people have died of swine flu in the Czech Republic in the last week, bringing the total number of recorded deaths to 48. Over 1,200 people are now known to have contracted the H1N1 virus, a Ministry of Health spokesperson said on Wednesday. Nearly 40,000 people had been inoculated against swine flu by last Friday. Interest in vaccinations has been lower than anticipated, with some officials blaming the media for creating a false panic about the possible dangers of inoculation.