New infections continue, and the death rate still remains high. With four more deaths registered Tuesday, the countrywide H1N1 toll has risen to 1,274 since the first death recorded in early August.
One death from Madhya Pradesh was reported during the day itself. The remaining three had occurred earlier but confirmed to the health authorities as H1N1 related fatalities by the states of Maharashtra, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh respectively.
State-wise death count
In the state-wise count of lives lost to the deadly virus in the country, Maharashtra is the worst hit, accounting for 327 deaths, followed by 257 in Gujarat, 182 in Rajasthan, 141 in Karnataka, 95 in Delhi, and 52 in Andhra Pradesh.
Additionally, 39 persons succumbed to the influenza in Punjab, 37 each in Kerala, and Haryana, 24 in Madhya Pradesh, 18 in Uttar Pradesh, and13 in Uttarakhand.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh registered eight deaths each, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh seven each, six in Puducherry, five in Goa, four in Jammu and Kashmir, three in Orissa, two in Assam, and one death each has been reported from Mizoram and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
New infections across the nation
According to health officials, 55 new infections surfaced across the country taking the total number of confirmed contagions in the nation to 29,171 so far.
Among the fresh cases, Maharashtra reported the maximum accounting for 35, with Gujarat registering eight while four cases surfaced each in Delhi and Karnataka, two in Madhya Pradesh and one each in Kerala, and Rajasthan.
Commenting on the status of H1N1, the Union health and family welfare minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today disclosed the H1N1 vaccine being prepared in the country will be ready for administration by April latest.
He added, "Vaccine for influenza is being made for the first time in the country and we took the decision of manufacturing it about three months back. It is in the trial stage. After animal trials, tests are being made on humans.”
World wide update on H1N1
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the H1N1 virus is showing signs of declining around the world. The latest bulletin from the agency confirmed the global death toll from flu as 15,174.
"As of 31 January 2010, worldwide more than 209 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 15,174 deaths," the WHO said.
Meanwhile, America has recorded the highest number of H1N1 related fatalities numbering 7,261, while nearly 3,605 lives have been lost to the virus in Europe.
WHO stated that at least 3,127 people have succumbed to the influenza in east Asia and west Pacific region.
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