5 more swine flue deaths, 480 outlets to sell Tamiflu

The surge in swine deaths in the country continued today with five more people succumbing to the deadly virus, raising the death toll to 208 even as the government said Tamilflu drug will be available in 480 select chemist outlets.

Two deaths each were reported from Maharashtra and Gujarat while one person died in Karnataka.

On the other hand, 212 fresh cases were reported -- Delhi the maximum of 72, followed by Maharashtra (47), Tamil Nadu (38), Haryana (25) and Uttar Pradesh (7).

With these cases, the total number of people afflicted with the virus has reached 6,800.

Meanwhile, the Centre today brought out a notification for sale of Tamiflu in select pharmacies across the country.

It said the sale of 'Oseltamivir Phosphate' and 'Zanamivir' or any other preparation of Tamiflu, shall be governed by the Schedule X of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rule, 1945, which makes it mandatory for pharmacists to keep a record of prescriptions, name of the prescribing doctor and the person to whom it was sold.

The select pharmacists can procure the drug from six companies -- Ranbaxy, Cipla, Metco, Hetero, Strides and Roche -- which have the permission to manufacture the medicine.

Every manufacturer will submit to the Drugs Controller a monthly statement on the quantity of such drugs supplied by them to distributors, stockists and dealers.