Argentine Health Vice-Minister Máximo Diosque announced the official number this morning: 337 deaths throughout the country are confirmed to be H1N1-related while 400 more cases are being examined. Casualties multiplied by two, as the last official death toll was of 165, two weeks ago.

"The regular flu has been almost completely replaced by the H1N1 influenza," explained the Health Ministry spokesman. According to him, "93% of the flu cases in the country are H1N1 cases."

Claudio Zin, the Buenos Aires province Health Minister announced earlier that the number of deaths in the country was "probably" reaching over 300, backing a number announced by local media.

"Fortunately, there is no sign of a new outbreak," he added. Zin confirmed the number of new cases have been decreasing in the last weeks. "The situation is much better than three weeks ago, but we stay very careful."

However, the official explained that the Abete hospital, in the Malvinas Argentinas district (Greater Buenos Aires) had 40 empty beds, confirming that the peak had passed.

Regarding the possibility of a coming vaccine, the provincial Health Minister said he didn't think it would be soon available. "I am not very optimistic about obtaining it very easily," he concluded.

• WHO says H1N1 flu deaths surge to 1,154