UPDATE 1-Novartis ships seasonal flu vaccine to U.S. early

* Novartis to provide 30 mln doses of Fluvirin in the U.S.

* Next goal is to bring H1N1 vaccine as soon as possible

(Adds details)

ZURICH, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Novartis AG (NOVN.VX) has shipped doses of the seasonal influenza vaccine to the United States ahead of schedule as the current swine flu pandemic is likely to trigger a rise in demand, the Swiss drugmaker said on Wednesday.

Early delivery of Fluvirin will allow public health officials to begin the vaccination campaign weeks ahead of the normal schedule, Novartis said.

"With the (A) H1N1 influenza pandemic underway, it is important that we take every possible precaution to help protect U.S. citizens from all circulating strains of influenza," Andrin Oswald, CEO of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, said.

Oswald said Novartis' next goal was to deliver an H1N1 swine flu vaccine for public health use as soon as possible.

On Tuesday, Novartis said it had started human testing of H1N1 swine flu vaccine candidates while Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA), the world leader in flu shots, said it would commence within days. [ID:nL4596256]

It is estimated that 36,000 people in the United States die each year from the flu, while another 200,000 are hospitalised, Novartis said.

The group will provide the U.S. market with around 30 million doses of Fluvirin vaccine, which contains antigens to the three influenza strains for this year's vaccine recommended by the World Health Organisation (Reporting by Katie Reid; editing by Simon Jessop)