Belgrade - The Serbian government has formally declared an epidemic of the swine flu on Wednesday and ordered steps aimed at curbing the effects of the disease, Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic said.

The measures include a ban on public gatherings, "emergency inoculation" and "epidemiologic surveillance." The ban on gatherings applies to schools and kindergartens, Milosavljevic told a news conference.

The ban is not comprehensive, and health authorities in charge would judge events "case by case." According to official figures, 258 cases of the flu were confirmed so far, with seven deaths attributed to it.

"All conditions are met to declare the epidemic," a member of the task force in charge of the flu, Branislav Tiodorovic, told radio B92. He said "there already are 350 people hospitalized with the symptoms ... that number will certainly grow in the coming days.

Sporting events, concerts and other scheduled events, as well as cinema and theatre shows, will not be immediately banned, Tiodorovic said, adding that such measures are more likely in the second "pandemic wave" expected in January.

Serbia is not expected to acquire vaccines and begin inoculating people, initially from jeopardized groups such as the chronically ill patients, before the end of November. (dpa)