SHIMLA:
Himachal Pradesh has witnessed 29 H1N1 deaths till February 19 this year, which is the highest in the last five years. So far, 237 have tested positive for it. A maximum 10 deaths have been reported from Kangra, which is the home district of health minister Vipin Singh Parmar. In the state, testing facilities are available only at Indira
Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Shimla, Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda in
Kangra district, and Central Research Institute, Kasauli.
Himachal Pradesh had witnessed 27 H1N1 deaths and 123 positive cases in 2015 and four deaths and 14 positive cases in 2016. In 2017, the state had witnessed 15 deaths and 77 positive cases in 2017 while last year the state had witnessed two deaths and seven positive cases. With cold conditions continuing in the state, cases have started pouring in from snow-bound districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti.
According to the data collected by the state surveillance office, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, this year, maximum 10 deaths have been reported from Kangra district while five deaths have been reported from Mandi district followed by four in Shimla district and three in Una district. Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Solan districts have reported two deaths each while Kinnaur district has reported one.
Of the total 705 samples tested so far, 237 have tested positive. A maximum of 75 positive cases have been reported from Shimla district followed by 64 positive cases in Kangra district. Solan district has reported 25 positive cases while Mandi district has reported 21 positive cases. Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts have reported 11 positive cases each while Sirmaur and Chamba districts have reported eight positive cases each.
Una district has reported five positive cases, Kullu district four, Kinnaur district two and Lahaul-Spiti district one.