India’s swine flu toll touches 1,070

NEW DELHI - Nine swine flu deaths, including two in the national capital, were reported Monday, taking the toll in the country to 1,070 so far, health authorities said here.

Also, 83 new swine flu infections were reported in the country, taking the total number of people infected with the contagious flu to 27,795.

Apart from the two deaths in the national capital, four were reported in Rajasthan. While one death was reported Monday, the others occurred earlier but were confirmed Monday, said authorities.

Also, one death each was reported from Punjab, Assam and Madhya Pradesh.

The two deaths in the Indian capital take the toll due to the pandemic virus to 87 in the city, health officials said.

A 41-year-old man died in Apollo Hospital, while a 36-year-old woman died in the GTB Hospital, said Anjana Prakash, Delhi’s deputy nodal officer for swine flu.

“Both of them were admitted to the hospital with severe lung infection,” Prakash told IANS.

The city also reported six new cases of swine flu Monday, taking the cumulative swine flu infections in the city to 9,562. Over 50 percent of those infected by swine flu in Delhi are children.

Delhi reported its first swine flu death Aug 20, 2009.

“Till date, samples from 117,507 persons have been tested for Influenza A H1N1 in government laboratories and a few private laboratories across the country and 27,795 of them have been found positive, said a statement issued here.

New cases were reported from Maharashtra (20), Rajasthan (14), Gujarat (13), Punjab (7) and Haryana (3).