A new study has found that a new treatment for H1N1 flu may already be on pharmacy shelves - cholesterol lowering statin drugs like Lipitor and Zocor.

The study involved 2,800 people in 2007-2008 found that people who were taking these drugs when they caught seasonal flu and were hospitalized were twice more likely to survive than those who were not on such medicines.

The study however is not conclusive that statin can cure flu, or that starting to consume them after catching flu will help them.

Doctors are optimistic since previous studies found that statins may improve survival from infectious diseases.

The Hajj pilgrims who travel to Saudi Arabia next month will be greeted with face masks, hand sanitizer and fever checks. This move has been taken by the health officials to stem the spread of swine flu during the world's largest pilgrimage.

The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention is aiding the Saudi health ministry in setting up emergency operations centre to get real-time reports from area hospitals and clinics to track how many are sick and will need the stockpiled anti-viral medication.

CDC's Dr. Shahul Ebrahim and Dr. Ziad Memish, the Saudi deputy health minister said, "The density of the 2.5 million pilgrims, with shoulder-to-shoulder contact as they pray, provides "a perfect transmission atmosphere" for the H1N1 flu."