39 swine flu deaths in 24 hrs, 624 die this yr

New Delhi: The deadly swine flu virus has claimed 39 more lives during the last 24 hours taking the total number of deaths this year to 624 succumbing to the fatal disease across the country. A total of 9311 people have contracted swine flu this year in the country. Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are the worst affected states with their respective tolls standing at 176, 150, 81 and 58, according to official figures.

With the death toll rising, the number could surpass that of 2013, which had reported 699 deaths. In the last year, 218 people had died of swine flu. Meanwhile, Union Health Minister J P Nadda chaired a high-level review meeting here to take stock of the crisis as officials assessed reports from states and measures to deal with the infectious disease, sources said. As reports emerged about shortage of medicines at some places, Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) wrote to over 10000 chemists across the country to stock Oseltamivir drug but not to sell it without prescription, they said.