The Haryana Health Department has issued guidelines and taken steps to prevent the spread of H1N1 swine flu as 31 cases have so far been reported from the state during the current year.

A spokesman of the department said here today that nine cases had been reported from Karnal district, followed by four each from Kurukshetra and Fatehabad, three each from Hisar and Sirsa, two each from Yamunanagar, Kaithal and Panchkula and one each from Rohtak and Ambala districts. Till yesterday, nine deaths had been reported from five districts-- three in Kurukshetra, two each in Karnal and Sirsa and one each in Hisar and Gurgaon.