Swine flu claims two more lives in Punjab, toll mounts to 23

CHANDIGARH: Two more persons today succumbed to contagious swine flu in Punjab taking the death toll due to the disease in the state to 23.

"One death each was reported from Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts," said Deepak Bhatia, State Surveillance Officer of Punjab Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.

The number of deaths in Punjab today mounted to 23, he said.

Bhatia also said that out of 148 suspected patients of the swine flu, 58 have tested positive so far for H1N1 virus.

"Advisory has been issued to government as well as private schools to send students who are showing flu symptoms on leave for five days," he said.

Students of all schools and colleges should also be monitored on daily basis, as per guidelines issued to educational institutions, he further said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Health department said it has geared up to tackle the menace and there was "no need to panic".

Official said required medicine and other logistics are available at state headquarters and all the districts in sufficient quantities.

All the health institutions have been directed to ensure that patients falling only in Category-C are tested for H1N1 virus after the clinical assessment.

People were advised to avoid crowded places, not to sneeze or spit without the use of tissue paper/handkerchief and adopt practices of frequent hand washing with soap and water.