World health experts believe South Africa is one of the most vulnerable countries to the H1N1 virus. Today experts attended an HINI symposium in Johannesburg as the world prepares for a fresh outbreak of the deadly virus. 

There were more than 13 000 confirmed cases of H1N1 in South Africa in recent months, and 91 deaths. But the experts reckon that could just be the start.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Professor Barry Schoub says: “There is a lot of travel and the virus will be re-introduced to South Africa. I think we can expect there will be an introduction before the winter season, and how extensively it will spread once it's introduced, that we really don't know.”

Research from the NICD also shows some alarming trends. More than half the H1N1 fatalities were among people who were HIV positive. Given the level of HIV infection in the country, that makes South Africa a particularly strong target for the H1N1 strain.

More than a quarter of the fatalities were also pregnant. Elsewhere in the world, China has vaccinated thousands of people- at a huge cost. Costa Rica will start vaccinating people by the end of the year.  The SA Health Department says it is presently trying to secure a million vaccine doses.