Kashmir reports first swine flu death, India toll 699

New Delhi, Dec 13 : A 21-year-old woman succumbed to swine flu in Srinagar, becoming the first victim of the H1N1 virus in Jammu and Kashmir. One death each in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat during the day took India's toll from the virus to 699, health authorities said here Sunday.

Muskan from Tullamulla region in Kashmir was admitted to the Soura Medical Institute Dec 1 after she developed acute respiratory distress. Doctors at the institute admitted her to the intensive care unit (ICU) and her samples were sent to Delhi for examination.

The woman, however, died Saturday and a senior doctor of the institute confirmed that she had tested positive for swine flu. "We got the report and it is positive. The woman had reported at the institute with acute chest infection, distress and cold," the doctor said Sunday.

With one death each in three other states, the casualty figure in Maharashtra has jumped to 240, 57 in Gujarat and 94 in Rajasthan. After Maharashtra, Karnataka with 123 deaths is number two in terms of toll from H1N1.

In Delhi, authorities said there are no fresh deaths but 95 fresh infections were reported throughout the day. With these, over 7,300 people have already been infected due to the virus, of which 39 have succumbed to it.

Seven more people, including two doctors of a premier hospital, have tested positive for swine flu in Chandigarh.

"We had collected the nasal and throat swab samples of these patients yesterday (Saturday) morning and their reports have come positive. Among these positive cases, two are doctors working at PGIMER (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research)," said G.C. Bansal, officiating nodal officer of swine flu in Chandigarh.

Besides, the union health ministry said there are 175 fresh cases across the country. Apart from 95 fresh cases in Delhi, there were 22 cases in Rajasthan, 15 in Haryana, 14 in Karnataka and 16 in Uttar Pradesh.