Hyderabad, Jan 22 (IANS): A central team of experts Thursday assessed the situation here arising out of the spread of swine flu, which has so far claimed 21 lives in Telangana.

The three-member team headed by Additional Director General of Health Ashok Kumar visited state-run Gandhi Hospital, the nodal centre for dealing with swine flu cases.

The team sent by the union health ministry gathered first hand details of patients undergoing treatment, inspected the isolation wards and the facilities available at the hospital.

The group, which includes Additional Director of National Centre for Disease Control Shashi Khare and Programme Officer for Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme Pradeep Khasnobis, spoke to the doctors and the officials of the state health department.

The officials expressed satisfaction over the measures being taken by the state government and said the Centre would extend all possible assistance.

Ashok Kumar said there was no shortage of medicines in the state. He advised people not to panic.

The team felt that the number of cases rose due to cold wave conditions and hoped that this would come down in 10 days.

The experts will visit neighbouring Ranga Reddy district Friday to assess the situation. It will submit a report to the central government with its recommendations.

The team is visiting the state a day after Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and sought the help.

Meanwhile, eight people from Kukatpally area in Hyderabad were admitted to Gandhi Hospital Thursday with suspected swine flu symptoms.

Two women, aged 55 and 56, died at two state-run hospitals in Hyderabad late Wednesday, taking the toll to 21. Officials said a total of 247 swine flu cases were reported so far in the state.

As many as 35 swine flu patients are undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital while blood samples of 20 others were sent to Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM) for H1N1 test.

Two patients were tested positive at Osmania General Hospital and they include a 24-year-old surgeon. Three junior doctors at Gandhi Hospital were also tested positive two days ago.

Alarmed over the mounting cases, the Telangana state government has declared an all-out war to control the spread of the virus.

Officials said the central government is sending 50,000 Tamiflu tablets, 10,000 anti-swine flu syrups and 50,000 kits to diagnose swine flu cases. The medicines and kits will be distributed to all hospitals in Hyderabad and other districts.

Union Minister of State for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya also visited Gandhi Hospital and inspected isolation wards and other facilities. He put the swine flu toll in Telangana at 25.

Doctors at Gandhi Hospital said they had 19,000 tablets and additional 20,000 tablets were being mobilized. Claiming that swine flu is absolutely curable, they said those suffering from any other flu should take extra care.