Swine flu death toll hits 200 in China

Beijing - November saw a sharp rise in the official swine flu death toll in China, with 194 deaths recorded in that month, local media reported Saturday. The A(H1N1) influenza strain has so far been involved in 200 deaths in China, with 194 fatalities recorded in November alone, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing Ministry of Health figures.

In a statement on Friday, the Ministry said that 89.3 percent of all flu cases reported in November were of the A(H1N1) strain, an increase of 12.4 percent from the previous month.

China's reported swine death toll has, until this week, remained low in comparison to other countries, sparking suspicions of a cover- up.

In this context, the sharp increase in the death toll may be a sign of increased transparency.

The Ministry also reported that more than 92,000 Chinese have contracted swine flu, while nearly 27 million people have received the A(H1N1) vaccination.