Swine flu toll rises to seven in Kashmir

With the death of one more H1N1 infected patient, the toll due to swine flu in Jammu and Kashmir has risen to seven, an official said Wednesday.

"A patient admitted after testing positive for H1N1 virus died in the hospital yesterday (Tuesday) night," a doctor at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) told IANS.

Thirty four more people tested positive for H1N1 virus across the state Tuesday, while 160 have tested positive so far in this season.

An official statement issued Wednesday said 71 patients were examined in Jammu's government medical hospital, while 463 in Srinagar, 542 in other hospitals in the Kashmir Division and another 224 in other hospitals in the Jammu Division were screened for symptoms of the dreaded virus.

On Tuesday, 14 tested positive in the Kashmir Division, 15 tested positive in SKIMS in Srinagar and five tested positive in the Jammu division.

"The union ministry of health and family welfare has rushed supply of 1,000 pieces each of N-95 Masks, personal protection equipment (PPE) Kits, and virus transmission media (VTM) Vials to the Jammu and Kashmir government. These supplies will reach Srinagar and Jammu Wednesday," the statement said.

Governor N.N. Vohra spoke to Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and Union Health Secretary Bhanupratap Sharma Tuesday and urged them to rush the supplies.

The request was made after the governor held a review meeting to take stock of the availability of medicines, protective masks and equipments to combat H1N1 Influenza, the statement added.