Seven more swine flu deaths, India's toll 145

Seven people, including two each in Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka, died due to swine flu on Wednesday, taking India's toll to 145, health authorities said in New Delhi.

Seven people, including two each in Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka, died due to swine flu on Wednesday, taking India's toll to 145, health authorities said in New Delhi.

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With the two deaths -- one each in Pune and Mumbai, respectively -- the toll in Maharashtra, which has seen the maximum number of deaths and cases, has gone up to 67. The total number of people affected by the virus in the state has gone up to 1,885.

The two deaths -- in Bijapur and Bangalore, respectively -- have taken the total number of deaths in Karnataka to 45 -- the second highest in the country. In Kerala, the two deaths have taken the toll in the state to four, health authorities said in New Delhi.

One death was also reported from Surat in Gujarat, where 12 people have so far lost their lives due to swine flu.

Meanwhile, 214 fresh cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people affected with influenza A(H1N1) to 5,435.

On Wednesday, a team from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) visited Bangalore and held discussions on the reasons behind the large number of swine flu deaths in Karnataka.

They also reviewed the measures initiated by the state government to manage the outbreak of the virus and prevent its spread.

The review by the team led to the conclusion that a delay in treatment and a large floating population in the state are some of the main reasons behind the deaths, a state health official said.

"The team observed that both Pune and Bangalore, which have recorded a large number of swine flu related deaths, have shown same kind of death patterns. Firstly, the climate of both the cities is almost similar. Both the cities have large numbers of floating population too," Karnataka's Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) IR Perrumal told IANS in Bangalore.

Of Wednesday's 214 fresh cases, 69 were reported from Tamil Nadu. The other states from where fresh cases were reported were Delhi (36), Karnataka (35), Maharashtra (28), Haryana (19), Andhra Pradesh (11) and Uttarakhand (5).

Health authorities in Delhi said most of those who have been affected with the virus are children. Of the 36 fresh cases, 20 are children.

"The situation is under control and the government is doing its best efforts in providing treatment to H1N1 patients," Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia said.