New Delhi: A Maharashtra schoolboy succumbed to swine flu just hours after three others in the state died of the same disease on Wednesday morning, officials said.
With these deaths, the toll due to the viral infection has risen to 11 in the state and 15 in the country.
Babu Genu Kuland died in the Sassoon Hospital here at about 1100 hrs IST.
The resident of Pimpri town, near Pune, was hospitalised three days ago in serious condition, according to Pune Minicipal Corporation (Health Department) chief S R Pardeshi.
Earlier in the day, Rupesh Gangurde, a doctor, was admitted into the Nashik Hospital on Monday with flu-related symptoms and passed away on Wednesday morning.
Gangurde was admitted to a private hospital on Monday after he complained of vomiting and fever, hospital sources said.
His blood samples were sent to Pune for testing after which the report tested positive for H1N1, they said.
Gangurde was brought to the Nashik Civil hospital last night where he died at 0230 hours, they said.
Two more suspected swine flu patients -- 21-year-old Vinod Borkul and 26-year-old Rishikesh Kulkarni -- have been admitted to the Nashik Civil hospital.
While Borkul tested negative for the viral infection, Kulkarni's report is still awaited.
The doctor is the first victim of swine flu in Nashik.
Twenty-nine-year-old Shrawani Deshpande - who also developed pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) at Sassoon hospital – succumbed in Pune.
She died barely two hours after 35-year-old Sanjay Mistry died at the same hospital.
Mistry died in Sassoon Hospital, Pune. He was earlier admitted in Veeramai hospital and was on ventilator support.
On Sunday night, he was shifted to Sassoon Hospital and was said to be in critical condition. He also had fever and throat infection.
In Pune, total number of deaths due to the disease has risen to seven whereas in Gujarat it has claimed two lives, one each in Vadodara and Ahmedabad.
Kerala reported its first death from swine flu when 35-year-old Wilson died at Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences in Thiruvananthapuram.
Wilson, a Gulf returnee who had recently travelled to Tamil Nadu, was admitted to the hospital six days back with high fever, doctors said.
Maharashtra has registered the highest death toll in the swine flu pandemic in India so far. That's prompted the state government to open seven additional screening centres in Pune.
The government has also identified Sahyadri Munot hospital as one that can treat critical cases, as it has 20 isolation beds. Till now, only Sassoon hospital was allowed to treat serious cases.
Schools and colleges in Pune remain shut this week as a precautionary measure. Authorities in Mumbai are now contemplating a similar move in the city.
But it has left its decision to the people. The BMC has asked Mumbaikars to send their SMS vote on whether to shut schools or not and will decide according to the results of the survey.
With the country seeing a surge in swine flu victims by the day, crucial government meetings are scheduled for Wednesday in Andhra and Gujarat.
Andhra CM YSR Reddy will hold a high-level meet to discuss steps to contain the spread of the H1N1 virus.
Hyderabad reported two positive cases on Tuesday, though so far the state has seen no fatalities.
In Gujarat, Narendra Modi has called for an all-party meet in Gandhinagar. So far, the state has reported two deaths.
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