Swine flu toll reaches 81 in Gujarat

10 more persons succumbed to swine flu In Gujarat taking the toll in the state since January to 81.

Two deaths each were reported from Kutch, Ahmedabad and Surat district, while one death each was recorded from Vadodara, Dahod, Narmada and Surendranagar district.

The disease has killed 191 people in the country in January alone with southern state of Telangana being worst hit. So far, 2,038 people have been afflicted by the virus.

Swine flu is caused by H1N1 virus. H1N1 symptoms are similar to those produced by other influenza viruses - fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and respiratory problems.

Symptoms for swine flu include high fever, headache, muscle pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain and internal and external bleeding. It is transmitted to people primarily from ticks and livestock animals with an incubation period of up to nine days. Human-to-human transmission takes up to two weeks.