Swine flu toll reaches 84 in Gujarat

By ENN, Ahmedabad: Spurt in swine flu deaths were reported in Gujarat, with mercury going down in the winter season, taking the total deaths so far to 84 with six deaths in the last 24 hours.

Four deaths were reported in Rajkot and one each in Ahmedabad and Jamnagar, health authorities said today.

A record 26 new positive cases of swine flu were reported in the state yesterday, taking the state's total to 520, the officials said, adding total suspected cases stood at 2,291.

Fresh cases were reported in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Palanpur, Bhuj, Patan, Bhavnagar, Vadodara and Junagadh.

A report from Rajkot said four more patients succumbed to swine flu in the Civil Hospital during last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 15. The hospital authorities have decided to set up new wards to cope up with the spurt in swine flu cases with a daily average of five patients admitted to the hospital.

Raju Pratapbhai (48), resident of Moti Paneli of Upleta Taluka of district, Jetulben Yusufbhai (35), resident of Rajkot, Rekhaben Rajeshbhai (36), resident of Morbi, and Ramaben Pravinbhai (36), resident of Rajkot, died in the last 24 hours at the Civil Hospital. They were tested positive for H1N1 virus.