Health officials say a vaccine for the H1N1 virus should be available in South Africa early next year.

Public health leaders from all across the world met in Johannesburg on Monday to discuss their response to the pandemic.

The second wave of the virus has hit the northern hemisphere now that winter is approaching.

It is expected to hit South Africa a second time before the next winter.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases' Barry Schoub hopes that a vaccine will be available here before the virus starts spreading again.

"The last couple of weeks we have not had any confirmed cases. The virus will certainly, sooner or later, be introduced into South Africa before the winter season. The department of health are negotiating the purchase of the vaccine and clearly we would like to have it in the country as soon as possible," he said.