By IANS,
Bangalore : With three new swine flu deaths being reported in Karnataka, the death toll due to the H1N1 virus in the state reached 86, a health official said here Friday.
While two men succumbed to swine flu in Bangalore, the third case was reported from Mysore.
The two deaths in Bangalore were of a 39-year-old man who died at a private hospital and a 45-year-old man who succumbed in a government hospital.
The third case was that of a 35-year-old man who died at a private hospital in Mysore.
Reports confirming that all three victims tested positive for the virus were received Sep 24, a health official said.
Karnataka’s toll has reached 86 – the second highest in the country. Out of this, 63 deaths due to swine flu were recorded in Bangalore and the rest from other parts of the state.
Even though Karnataka has been witnessing swine flu deaths on a daily basis, it has not hindered the festive spirit of the people.
Along with the ongoing 10-day-long Dusshera celebrations, Durga puja festivities have also begun across the state.
“It’s the time to meet and greet people. Nothing can deter us from celebrating our festivals. But, it would have been better had the swine flu pandemic ended by now,” said Prakash Gupta, a techie attending a Durga puja celebration here.
Meanwhile, health officials have asked people to adopt preventive measures such as avoiding crowded places to control the spread of the virus.
“People should maintain hygiene and should immediately check with doctors if they have any swine flu like symptoms,” R. Perumal, principal secretary for health, told IANS.
On Thursday, 21 fresh cases tested positive for the H1N1 virus in the state. Of them, 12 were reported in Bangalore, five in Bijapur and one each in Chitradurga, Bagalkote, Mysore and Gadag.
With this, the total number of positive cases in the state reached 955.