OTTAWA, CANADA - Vaccination against the deadly H1N1 virus started Thursday in Canada's New Brunswick province with 12 more provinces and territories to follow suit next week, health officials said.

Aboriginals, youths and medical staff - groups believed to be most at risk of serious infection - received the first round of swine flu shots in what is expected to become the largest immunization campaign in Canadian history.

With too few medical staff available for the undertaking, authorities have asked retired nurses and medical students to help out.

Officials also urged all citizens to get vaccinated as surveys show two in three Canadians are skeptical of the shots.

Swine flu has so far contributed to 83 deaths in Canada, more than 1,500 hospitalizations and close to 300 critical care ward admissions, according to Health Canada.

-AFP