IANS

Bangalore, Sep 12: With four new swine flu deaths reported from Karnataka, the death toll due to the H1N1 virus in the state has reached 57, a health official said here Saturday.

While three deaths were reported from Bangalore, the fourth one was registered in Kolar. All the four latest swine flu victims were women.

However, the report confirming that all four tested positive for the virus was received only on Sep 11, the health official said.

A 60-year-old woman, who was admitted in a private hospital in Kolar, died Sep 7.

In Bangalore, a 31-year-old woman admitted on Sep 7 expired the next day. The other two Bangalore victims, both in their 20s, died Sep 7 and Sep 8. All the three Bangalore deaths were reported from government hospitals.

Briefing on swine flu treatment in Karnataka, which has seen large number of deaths, state's health minister B. Sreeramulu Friday said government would bear only expense of swab test which amounts to Rs.2,000.

"A government order had been issued to all private hospitals asking them not to charge patients for swab test. They should collect the charges from the government," Sreeramulu assured.

"However, government would not bear treatment expenses of H1N1 patients, but would bear only swab test charges," he added.

Meanwhile, 22 people tested positive for the H1N1 influenza virus in the state Friday, raising the total number of positive cases to 708. While Bangalore reported 19 cases, one case each was confirmed from Bijapur, Kolar and Gadag.