PTI, New Delhi :The swine flu onslaught has claimed 34 more lives as the nationwide toll from the H1N1 virus so far this year touched 1,075 with the number of cases of the disease inching towards the 20,000 mark.Data collated by the Health Ministry said that altogether, 1,075 persons have now perished from the disease in 2015 while the number of those affected by swine flu stands at 19,972 as on February 28.The ministry had yesterday said that the toll as on February 27 was 1,041 while the number of persons affected by swine flu in various states was 19,046.The data yesterday showed that Gujarat has pipped Rajasthan in terms of the number of deaths with 265 casualties while 4,368 people are affected by the disease in the state.Rajasthan has seen 261 persons falling prey to the H1N1 virus with 5,528 cases reported.In Madhya Pradesh, swine flu has claimed 153 lives while 1,010 people were affected by the virus. The toll in Maharashtra touched 143 with 1,735 cases having so far come to light.In Telangana and Punjab, the disease has claimed 57 and 42 lives, respectively while in Delhi, 10 persons have died due to swine flu. The number of affected persons in the national capital has risen to 2,891.The disease has claimed the lives of 46 persons in Karnataka with Haryana (21 deaths), Andhra Pradesh (12 deaths), Himanchal Pradesh (eight deaths), Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala (both seven deaths) also grappling with swine flu.Health Minister JP Nadda had earlier said that the 21 laboratories capable at present of testing swine flu were “not enough” and the government was planning to set up H1N1 testing facilities in every state with financial provisions being made for it.The government has repeatedly asserted that it was “very serious” about combating the disease and has asked the people to not panic but remain alert.
