New Delhi, Sep 10 - With over 5,500 cases of swine flu in India and the virus continuing to spread, the health ministry is likely Friday to allow restricted sales of H1N1 preventive drug Tamiflu in public, officials said Thursday.

'The health secretary is holding a meeting of concerned stakeholders Friday and a decision on the restricted sale is likely by the evening,' a ministry official, who is not authorised to speak to the media, told IANS.

The official said as the number of deaths - 154 so far - and cases continues to spiral across the country, the ministry is now open to the idea of allowing restricted sales over the counter.

The official said that selected chemists who are holding licence to sell H-level drugs may be allowed to sell Tamiflu. 'There are two other options before the ministry but a decision will be taken during the secretary's meeting.'

Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi had told IANS Aug 27: 'If the situation demands, we will allow restricted sale of Tamiflu.'