Three persons have died due to swine flu in Hyderabad in the last couple of days, taking the total number of deaths in Telangana this year to eight, even as the state government asserted that steps are being taken to check the spread of the disease. Two persons infected with the H1N1 virus died late on Tuesday while the third patient passed away yesterday, said K Subhakar, the nodal officer for swine flu. The patient, who had initially received treatment at different private hospitals, was referred to the state-run Gandhi Hospital, but he died in transit, he said. With the third death in a week, the toll this year has gone up to eight in Telangana with three patients currently undergoing treatment for swine flu in the state. The official had yesterday said that 54 cases of swine flu have been reported this year. He had added that the number is small as compared to the hundreds of cases that were reported in 2009. Reminding that the US-based Centre for Disease Control has warned that this winter could be a tough one in terms of swine flue occurrences, Subhakar had said there is a need for being vigilant to check the spread of the disease. Deputy Chief Minister T Rajaiah, who looks after Health portfolio, spoke to the medical officials today and assured that sufficient quantity of medicines will be available for treatment. Stressing that the government is taking all steps to handle the matter, he, however, advised that treatment should start early.
