Srinagar, March 3 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday ordered the setting up of two swine flu testing laboratories in the state, as the toll due to the H1N1 influenza rose to 10, officials said.
“One testing laboratory for the detection of H1N1 virus will be established at the Government Medical College, Jammu and the second one will be established at the Chest Disease Hospital, Srinagar,” an official told IANS.
A sum of nearly Rs.12 crore has been released by the state administration for this purpose, he said.
The state cabinet took serious view of the non-availability of testing facilities for swine flu, and ordered the immediate establishment of the same, the official said.
The cabinet met for the first time in Jammu after assuming charge on Monday. Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed chaired the meet.
With one more patient succumbing to swine flu in the Kashmir Valley on Tuesday, the toll due to the deadly virus infection rose to 10 in the state.
The deadly virus has claimed 1,100 lives so far this year and nearly 20,000 have been affected across the country.