7 Swine (H1N1) flu deaths take India's toll to 316

7 swine flu deaths, including 4 in Karnataka, were reported Wednesday, taking India's total toll to 316, health authorities said here.

Also, 197 new influenza A (H1N1) cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people precious with the virus to 10,233.

Two deaths were reported from the national capital - one from the Safdarjung Hospital and the other in a personal hospital.

The death from the private hospital was reported Tuesday but the laboratory confirmation came Wednesday, authorities said without charitable any details.

The toll in the Indian capital has now gone up to 13.

The highest death toll has been recorded from Maharashtra where 120 people have succumbed to the virus since the first death was reported in India Aug 3 in the state's Pune city.

'Till date, samples from 42,731 people have been tested for influenza A (H1N1) in government laboratories and a few private laboratories across the country and 10,233 of them have been found to be positive,' a statement issued here said.

Delhi recorded as many as 58 new fresh cases, taking the total number of people affected with the virus to 2,739.

Maharashtra reported 46 fresh cases.

Of the 10,233 total cases in India, Maharashtra alone has 2,827 positive cases, authorities said.

The other new cases were reported from Tamil Nadu (25), Karnataka (13), Kerala (13), Haryana (12), Chandigarh (12), Andhra Pradesh (9) and Goa (1).

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there were more than 300,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 till Sep 20. As many as 3,917 people have died globally.

Vijayadashami Puja Festival

Vijayadashami is the final day of Durga Navaratri, ie.september 27. On this day Durga Visarjan or Udvasan is performed. There is a popular legend associated with Vijaya Dashami tells us about another ritual ‘Shami Puja’.

Saraswathi puja – September 26 2009
Vijayadashami puja – September 27 2009

Vijaya Dashami also known as Dasara, Dashahara, Navaratri, Durgotdsav... is one of the very important & fascinating festivals of India.

Dasha-Hara is the festival of Victory of Good over Bad, God over Devil.

Cool Funny Bird

Respiratory, lung diseases add to H1N1 flu worries

SURAT/AHMEDABAD: After a spate of swine (H1N1) flu deaths in the state, the growing number of pneumonia and acute lower respiratory tract infection
An (LRTI) case in various cities has been worrying state health section as the diseases have swine flu-like symptoms. Moreover, Navratri and the approaching winters may emphasize the spread of the H1N1 virus.

What's worse, it is anybody's presumption that of the 39,253 pneumonia and acute LRTI cases reported over the last one month, how many could turn into swine flu positive cases as the finding would require costly clinical kits to confirm each of these cases. But, the state government who knows the number of pneumonia and acute LRTI cases, will be answerable if swine flu deaths are reported in future.

Navratri Puja 2009

This post is to indicate the dates or period of Navratri or Navaratri in 2009. This Navrathri is also known as Sharad Navratra as it falls during September or October and is the most famous Navratri.

September 19th – Navratri, Festival of Nine Nights begin.

September 24th – Durga Puja Begins - Durga Sashti puja.

September 25th, 2009 – Maha Saptami Puja/ Saraswati Avahan Puja in some parts in North India

September 26th – Durga Ashtami Puja.

September 27, 2009 – Navratri Ends. Mahanavami Puja/ Saraswathi Puja and Ayudha Pooja in South India

September 28th – Vijaya Dashami and Dusshera

Chaitra Navratri

Chait Navratras, also known as Chaitra Navratri, as the name indicates is observed during the Chaitra month (March – April) in a established Hindu calendar followed in North India. The festival is committed to Goddess Shakti and three of her mainly popular forms– Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati – are worshipped during the period. It begins on the first day of the Chaitra month and ends with Ram Navami.

Chaitra Navratri is known by different names like Ram Navaratri, Basant Navrathri, Vasant Navratri and some people also refer it as Spring Navaratras.

Chaitra Navratri is observed when Mother Nature undergoes a significant climate change. It also marks the beginning of the summer season. There is a popular belief that the fasting during Chaitra Navrati is to arrange the body for the ensuing summer season.



Chaitra Navratri is more famous in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh and in other parts of North India. Some of the majority important temple fairs in the Shakti Temples in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand take place during this period.

Four more Swine (H1N1) flu Deaths; India's toll at 135

New Delhi: Four people, including 2 in Goa, died due to swine flu on Monday, taking India's total toll to 135, health authorities said here. Also, 147 fresh new H1N1 flu cases were reported in the country, taking the number of people affected with the flu to 4,885.

Apart from Goa, one death each was reported from Delhi and Karnataka. In New Delhi, 69-year-old Durga Prasad Sharma died due to the swine flu on Monday afternoon.

India is taking adequate measures to improve core capabilities at all levels to contain the spread of infectious diseases during border and community surveillance, early warning and detection systems, developing hospital preparedness to provide superior healthcare facilities and stockpiling of anti-virals and individual protecting equipment,' he said in his address to the health ministers from the region and top WHO officials.

Swine (H1N1) flu claims 2,840 lives worldwide: WHO

Swine flu has claimed at slightest 2,840 lives across the world and over 2.5 lakh of confirmed cases of the virus have been reported, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Sep 5th 2009.

At least 254,000 laboratory sustained cases of H1N1 virus has been reported from all over the world, which means that genuine number could be much more, WHO's Gregory Hartl said at a news discussion in Geneva.

"With the virus circulating so widely around the world, it is sadly to be estimated that there will be deaths as the volume of cases and deaths is increasing," he said.

At the same time, there is no indication that the virus has mutated or altered its behavior, he said noting that the virus is not causing more severe illness than before.