16 swine flu deaths in one week: indigenous vaccine on stands

Sixteen swine flu deaths were reported over the last one week from certain states even as India today got its first indigenously made nasal vaccine against the virus.

Sixteen swine flu deaths were reported over the last one week from certain states even as India on Tuesday got its first indigenously made nasal vaccine against the virus.

HT Image

Swine flu deaths continued their upward surge since the onset of monsoons, with 16 fatalities reported from June 28 to July 4. The maximum number of 10 deaths were reported from Kerala, health ministry officials said in Delhi on Tuesday.

Four deaths were reported from Maharashtra and two from Andhra Pradesh and the 370 cases reported during the week were indigenous ones.

Till date, samples from 1,44,633 people have been tested for H1N1 flu in government laboratories and a few private laboratories across the country and 33,453 (23.1 per cent) of them have been found positive.

Meanwhile, in a major boost to treat the deadly H1N1 flu, the country's first intra-nasal vaccine 'Nasovac' manufactured by Serum Institute of India on Tuesday hit the shelves.

The vaccine has been tested to be safe for children and it can be administered on anyone over the age of three without any adverse consequences, the officials said.

Nasovac, meant for Type A (H1N1) pandemic strain, is a nasal spray in powder form, which has to be reconstituted by adding the supplied water. Its one 0.5ml dose will cost Rs 200.

The country got its injectable vaccine last month for swine flu, which has so far claimed 1,601 persons in India.