449 swine flu cases in UP, toll reaches 12

Lucknow, Feb 26: With the detection of 36 new cases, the number of swine flu patients in UP has surged to 449 even as 12 people in the state have succumbed to the deadly H1N1 virus, health department said today.

"36 new patients of H1N1 virus have been detected in Uttar Pradesh. Of them, 33 are from Lucknow, one each from Bareilly, Bahraich and Allahabad districts," an official of the health department said.

According to health department officials 1,195 patients were screened and of them 449 tested positive while 12 persons in the state have died so far due to swine flu, he added.

Of the total number of cases in UP, the maximum of 369 have been reported from state capital Lucknow, where leave of all the health department officials has been cancelled, he said.

The deadly H1N1, the virus that causes swine flu, has affected 20 districts. Six deaths have been reported from Lucknow, two from Kanpur and one each from Saharanpur, Bareilly, Unnao and Badaun districts.

The state government has directed the local bodies and municipal corporations to launch a cleanliness campaign throughout the state.

PTI