India's swine flu toll reaches 606, over 19,000 affected

Six swine flu deaths, three of them in Rajasthan alone, were reported Friday, taking the toll from influenza A (H1N1) virus in India to 606, health authorities said here.

Also, a record 290 new cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people affected with the contagious flu to 19,162.

With the three deaths, the toll in Rajasthan has gone up to 57. Two deaths were also reported from the national capital, taking the total toll in the Indian capital to 28.

One death was reported from Gujarat, taking the number of deaths due to Influenza A (H1N1) virus in the state to 47.

Meanwhile, Delhi reported 186 cases of swine flu Friday -- the highest for a single day - taking the number of people affected with the virus to 5,603. The national capital Thursday reported 176 cases of swine flu.

The number of people affected with the virus in Delhi is now the highest in the country.

'Till date, samples from 90,068 people have been tested for Influenza A (H1N1) in government laboratories and a few private laboratories across the country and 19,162 of them have been found positive,' said a statement issued here.


China reports fast rise of A/H1N1 flu deaths

The Chinese mainland saw a faster increase of deaths from the A/H1N1 influenza in the past weeks, according to the Ministry of Health. Among 200 deaths from the A/H1N1 flu, 194 were reported last month.

About 89.3 percent of all the flu cases reported last month were of the A/H1N1 strain, up 12.4 percent from the previous month, the health ministry said Friday.

As of Monday, nearly 27 million people nationwide had been inoculated with China-made A/H1N1 vaccine, according to the ministry.