GENEVA: A Swiss pharmaceutical giant said on Friday it has a A(H1N1) flu vaccine ready for trial as governments stepped up precautions to counter the new declared influenza pandemic.

While millions could catch the flu, governments and health experts around the world have sought to play down fears that the A(H1N1) virus could become a major killer.

A(H1N1) flu has so far infected almost 30,000 people in 74 countries and claimed 145 lives since it was first detected in Mexico in April, according to World Health Organization (WHO) figures.