Swine flu claims 10 more lives as death toll reaches 62 in Rajasthan

Jaipur, Feb 4: Ten more persons have succumbed to swine flu in Rajasthan, taking the toll to 62 this year, an official of the state medical and health directorate said on Wednesday.

Deaths of two persons due to the H1N1 virus were reported from Bikaner, Ajmer, and one person each died in Jaipur, Barmer, Kota, Udaipur, Banswara, and Chittorgarh, the official said.

Of the 1,200 tested for swine flu, 366 patients were found positive for the virus. Out of 33 districts, 29 are afflicted with swine flu while Dholpur, Hanumangarh, Sirohi, and Baran were said to be safe as per the Medical and Health Directorate (MHD) records, he said.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje held a high-level review meeting with medical officers late last night and directed them to set up a task-force at state, division and district levels to contain the spread of the disease and create awareness, another official said today.

Task force would be headed by Dr Ashok Pangaria, a member of the Chief Minister Advisory Council's Health at the state level while at divisional level, the Divisional Commissioner, and at district level collectors would chair the task force.

Task force would hold meetings to review the situation on a day-to-day basis, the official said quoting the chief minister. Medical officers apprised the chief minister that there was no dearth of medicines to treat the dreaded disease.

Moreover, 'tamiflu' medicines were ordered and its consignment would arrive in the state at the earliest. The MHD has also set-up a control room for swine flu and started telephone lines for patients, the official said.

Senior officers at the directorate with medical degrees have taken charge to monitor the disease status at all district headquarters to provide aid to patients who report to government hospitals.

So far, Jaipur has recorded 17 deaths due to swine flu, the maximum in Rajasthan, followed by Ajmer 12, Nagaur 6, Tonk, Bikaner, Barmer, Banswara, and Kota 3 each, Dausa, Jodhpur, Bundi 2 each, and Bhilwara, Alwar, Pali, Udaipur, Chittorgarh and Dungarpur one each since January this year.

PTI