The number of people infected with H1N1 has reached 172 with the 12 new cases in Karnataka. Out of these 85 are under treatment while 83 have been discharged. Swine flu has claimed five lives till now. 

In lieu of the increasing swine cases, the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department held meetings with representatives of 79 private hospitals on Monday.

The private hospitals were advised, not to take samples of everyone who comes with complaints of the flu. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, responsible for testing throat culture swabs of H1N1 patients, is presently overburdened.

N Ravi, Head of Department of Neurovirology of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, said: "There are 2,522 samples to be tested, of which only 482 have been tested so far. Of these, 105 tested positive to H1N1 virus". If we get samples at this rate, it will take us 25 more days to process the whole lot. We are receiving 300 to 400 samples per day."

Delayed diagnosis and immunity compromising pre-dispositions like respiratory problems or diabetes were cited as the reasons behind 5 deaths due to swine flu.