early 5,000 laboratories, mostly in the United States, were working Tuesday to destroy vials of a pandemic flu strain that were sent as part of a routine kit to test labs.
The rush action, recommended by the World Health Organization of the United Nations, was prompted by a slim risk that the samples could start a global flu epidemic. The vials were sent by a company in the United States to labs in 18 countries, officials said.
The 1957 strain has not been included in the flu vaccine since 1968, and anyone born after that date has no immunity to it.
Posts
