The World Health Organisation has shipped urgent supplies of the influenza drug Tamiflu to Mongolia, as the country's hospital system struggles to cope with a late but widespread outbreak of the H1N1 strain of flu.

The WHO sent over 45,000 doses of Tamiflu to Mongolia, which has had a rapid rise in reported cases of H1N1 since the first were detected in mid-October.

Mongolia has confirmed 859 cases of H1N1 and six deaths, with cases reported in its far-flung aimags, or provinces, as well as the capital Ulan Bator.