British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline has started testing an A/H1N1 vaccine on humans, local media reported on Saturday.

The British government is preparing for a mass vaccination of citizens by October after ordering 132 million doses of the drug.

The latest figures showed that the number of new flu cases per week has dropped from 110,000 to 25,000, but the proportion of healthy people dying from the virus is still higher than that of the regular flu.

In addition, there are concerns that the anti-virus drug Tamiflu could lose its effectiveness against future strains of the A/H1N1 virus. Many children taking Tamiflu, too, have suffered such side effects as nausea, insomnia and nightmares.

GSK spokesperson Alex Harrison said there would be "normal side effects" with the vaccine.

The World Health Organization, however, expressed concern over Britain's decision to fast-track the drug's clinical trials.

Thomas Breuer, GSK's head of research, said the vaccine would be tested on 9,000 people before it is released.

(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2009)