The government said that that Panama's health minister resigned today amid a swine flu outbreak that has claimed 22 lives and sparked a panicked rush for vaccinations.

Francisco Javier Terrientes today presented his resignation from his post for professional reasons, the government added.

To take Terrientes place, President Juan Carlos Varela had appointed the deputy health minister.

The hospital and clinic of Panama are overrun by people wanting vaccinations against the A(H1N1) flu virus which has proved particularly dangerous this year in Panama.

It has announced by Panama's government that it would make nearly one million more doses of A(H1N1) vaccines available by next week as 22 people have died of the virus and 671 were hospitalized, of whom nearly half remain admitted and 38 are in intensive care till now.

The subtype of the flu virus causes a respiratory infection whose symptoms can be mild or fatal.