The Minister said from January this year till April 23, Maharashtra accounted for the maximum number of 487 cases and 20 deaths, while Andhra Pradesh reported 115 cases and 12 deaths and Rajasthan had 116 cases with 12 deaths, followed by Karnataka where 171 cases were reported, including eight deaths.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the incidence of increased number of cases of Swine flu is reported from several states and the badly affected states include Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. He also stated that 987 cases of H1N1 and 59 deaths have been reported this year from 13 states. Azad said advisory has been issued to the states for screening and isolation facilities, including critical care. Azad noted that Influenza-A H1N1 is the only disease declared as a pandemic by the WHO in the last three years. States and Union Territories have been advised to follow guidelines on triage, categorisation and testing of patients and 45 laboratories (26 in government sector and 19 in private sector) have the capability to test samples for H1N1 and adequate stock of Oseltamivir, the antiviral drug, is available.

The Minister said from January this year till April 23, Maharashtra accounted for the maximum number of 487 cases and 20 deaths, while Andhra Pradesh reported 115 cases and 12 deaths and Rajasthan had 116 cases with 12 deaths, followed by Karnataka where 171 cases were reported, including eight deaths.

Delhi had reported seven cases but no death while Gujarat had reported six cases with two deaths and Haryana reported only four cases and Kerala reported 10 cases. Tamil Nadu reported 61 cases with two deaths and Madhya Pradesh reported one case and one death while Punjab reported two cases with one death and Uttarakhand one case with one death.(NSSNS)