Swine flu claims 38 more lives, toll crosses 800

Swine flu claimed 38 more lives in the country taking the death toll beyond 800 even as the total number of people affected by the disease on Sunday breached the 13,000 mark.

According to Health Ministry figures, the total number of deaths due to the disease has now reached 812 while 13,688 people have been affected with the H1N1 virus across the country.

Health Ministry officials had on Saturday said that the number of people affected by swine flu was 12,963 while deaths caused by the infection was 774 as per figures available till February 20.

A senior health official said that in comparison to Saturday, there has been a dip in the number of fresh positive cases.

Seven more persons succumbed to swine flu in Rajasthan.

Out of 4318 patients who tested positive for the HINI virus, 212 have died since January 1, an official of Medical and Health Directorate (MHD) said here.

Meanwhile, seven deaths due to the disease were reported in Maharashtra on Sunday, taking the number of the disease-related deaths in the state to 99.

In Jammu and Kashmir, one more patient died of swine flu, taking the toll to five, while 119 have tested positive for the disease so far.

Three persons have died of swine flu in Uttarakhand this year and 14 persons afflicted by it are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the state.

The Union Health Ministry has already asked the state drug controllers to ensure that chemist shops display prominently availability of medicines for its treatment. A communication to this effect has been sent by Drug Controller General of India G N Singh to drug controllers of all states and UTs.

In another letter, the DGCI has directed the state drug controllers to set up a "Swine Flu Drugs Availability Monitoring Cell" with a designated officer to ensure close monitoring of availibility of drugs and vaccines.