The World Health Organization has issued new guidelines for the treatment of H1N1 influenza.

The WHO warned against the abuse of antiviral drugs like Tamiflu.

The health agency said healthy people without complicated diseases don’t need to be treated with Tamiflu, even if they are infected with the virus. The drug should be first given to high-risk patients including children under five years old, senior citizens over the age of 65, pregnant women and those who have other diseases like diabetes and AIDS.

The warning comes amid concerns about a shortage of flu vaccines and antiviral drugs as the flu continues to spread worldwide.

Some countries, including Britain, make Tamiflu accessible to anyone confirmed to have contracted the disease.

Medical experts warn that reckless use of Tamiflu could cause the emergence of a variant strain, which is resistant to the antiviral drug.