20 deaths reported since January 13

Worried over the rising number of deaths due to swine flu this year, Punjab has put a formal query to the National Centre for Disease Control on the possibility of a change in the causative virus. Swine flu has claimed 20 lives in the state since January 13, which is five times the figure of four deaths due to H1N1 during the same period last year. At least 78 swine flu cases have so far been reported this year while 18 patients from other states were admitted at the PGI, Chandigarh. However, there were just 13 confirmed cases of swine flue last year.