Kolkata, March 17 (IANS): Swine flu has claimed one more life in West Bengal, taking the toll to 22, while 17 more positive cases have been reported in the state, a health official said on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, senior Communist Party of India-Marxist leader and former state minister Gautam Deb was hospitalised in a critical condition after testing positive for swine flu.

Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Malay Kumar De said a 22-year-old woman succumbed to the influenza at a private hospital on Monday night, thereby taking the toll to 22.

"Seventeen new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours. Since January, 340 positive cases have been recorded while 252 people have recuperated so far," De said.

According to Deb's doctor Subhashis Chakrabarty, the CPI-M leader was admitted to the critical care unit of a private hospital here after he complained of respiratory distress.

"Tests confirmed that he is positive for the HINI flu virus. He is on ventilation," Chakrabarty said.