The number of confirmed human cases of swine flu has risen by 3,700 in the past 24 hours to 163,800 worldwide, with 998 deaths, Russia`s consumer rights regulator Rospotrebnadzor said on Tuesday.

Russia has confirmed 18 cases of the virus, all of which were detected in individuals returning to Russia from vacations or business trips abroad.

Oleg Kiselyov, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences` Influenza Institute, said on Monday that the first batch of a vaccine against the A/H1N1 virus will be ready by October 1 in Russia.

"By October 1, we will have the first batch of the vaccine for high risk groups. We have no doubt about this, and are fighting for every week," Kiselyov said.

He also said the vaccine would be administered to volunteers from August 20.
sections: Nature & Health, World News