Swine flu deaths in Rajasthan cross 190

Jaipur, Feb 18 (IANS) With eight more swine flu deaths Wednesday, total deaths touched 191 in Rajasthan since the start of this year, an official said.

"Total deaths have touched 191 while positive cases in a day has risen by 346 to touch a figure of 3,648 across the state," a medical and health department official told IANS.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore again appealed to the public to seek doctor's advice as soon as the symptoms of the disease are witnessed.

Rathore said that so far screening of 46 lakh persons have been conducted and the state government has so far distributed 15 lakh Tamiflu tablets across the state.

Congress' state president Sachin Pilot, while flaying the state government on swine flu deaths, termed it "criminal neglect".

"What government has done so far is late. They should have launched an awareness campaign much earlier," he said.

Meanwhile, party spokesman Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said that the state government is contradicting its own instructions and directive on swine flu.

"The state government instructions say that do not go to crowded places to avoid catching up the flu. The government has even asked schools to avoid prayer meeting in schools. Then why bus loads of people are being transported to Suratgarh where PM Narendra Modi is to address a function," he said.

Modi is visiting Suratgarh Thursday.

The government however said that the prime minister is visiting area where swine flu is not serious.