Gujarat: 12 more deaths due to swine flu, toll mounts to 231

Ahmedabad: Swine flu Tuesday claimed 12 more lives in Gujarat, taking the total number of deaths due to the H1N1 virus to 231 so far even as 190 new positive cases were detected in a day.

"Gujarat has recorded 12 swine flu deaths and 231 new cases today. While the total number of deaths has climbed to 231, and that of positive cases to 3,527 since January this year," according to an official statement issued by Gujarat government.

Out of the 12 deaths, two each were recorded in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts, while one each was registered in Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Kheda, Amreli, Morbi Sabarkantha and Porbanadar districts, it said.

The state government claimed that 2,158 persons have been cured out of total cases at 3,527.

Swine flu cases are rising steadily in the state and prominent among those infected by the H1N1 virus are Gujarat Assembly Speaker Ganpat Vasava and the minister of state for Health (MoS) Shankar Chaudhary.

The opposition Congress had raised a hue and cry over the issue on the floor of the House yesterday despite the government's assurance on taking all necessary steps to check the spread of swine flu.