Swine flu: Azad unhappy with state govts

Swine flu claimed its second victim in Tamil Nadu when a 47-year-old man succumbed to the virus, raising the countrywide toll to 45 even as Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad accused state governments of not doing enough to contain the pandemic.See Special

Swine flu claimed its second victim in Tamil Nadu when a 47-year-old man succumbed to the virus, raising the countrywide toll to 45 even as Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday accused state governments of not doing enough to contain the pandemic.

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As many as 159 fresh flu cases were reported from various states till on Thursday, taking the total number of those afflicted by the disease to 2,401, a Health Ministry official said.

With the death of the middle-aged man, whose name was immediately available, in Chennai last night, the flu toll has climbed to 45 with Maharashtra accounting for 22, the highest number of fatalities, followed by Karnataka with 10. Five deaths have taken place in Gujarat, two each in Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu and one each in Kerala and Uttarakhand.

Lashing out at state governments, Azad said they have "forgotten their duty" even though the Centre was stretching itself to the maximum limit to contain the disease.

Addressing state health ministers at a review meeting of the National Rural Health Mission in New Delhi, the Minister said, "We (Centre) can go to a point, don't expect us to go beyond a point.

"This is the maximum limit we could stretch ourselves to. Beyond this the state governments should shoulder their responsibility which they haven't done," Azad said.Swine flu claimed its second victim in Tamil Nadu when a 47-year-old man succumbed to the virus, raising the countrywide toll to 45 even as Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today accused state governments of not doing enough to contain the pandemic.

As many as 159 fresh flu cases were reported from various states till on Thursday, taking the total number of those afflicted by the disease to 2,401, a Health Ministry official said.

With the death of the middle-aged man, whose name was immediately available, in Chennai last night, the flu toll has climbed to 45 with Maharashtra accounting for 22, the highest number of fatalities, followed by Karnataka with 10. Five deaths have taken place in Gujarat, two each in Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu and one each in Kerala and Uttarakhand.

Lashing out at state governments, Azad said they have "forgotten their duty" even though the Centre was stretching itself to the maximum limit to contain the disease.

Addressing state health ministers at a review meeting of the National Rural Health Mission in New Delhi, the Minister said, "We (Centre) can go to a point, don't expect us to go beyond a point.

"This is the maximum limit we could stretch ourselves to. Beyond this the state governments should shoulder their responsibility which they haven't done," Azad said.