A Superintendent of Police (SP) was among five persons who have fallen prey to contagious swine flu in Jammu and Kashmir since its outbreak, while at least 99 people have been tested positive for the disease in the state.

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Kashmir Valley is the worst affected as 96 people have been tested positive for the flu while in Jammu region three people were reported to be affected from the flu. Four people have died in Kashmir Valley and in Jammu, Superintendent of Police (Admin) Sunil Gupta succumbed to the disease on Thursday.

Earlier doctors said that the SP died due to respiratory disorder but a culture report on Friday confirmed that he was suffering from swine flu. "The report of the person who died yesterday has arrived and it is confirmed that the death was related to swine flu,"  said Dr Deepak Kapoor, Epidemiologist at the department of health Jammu. "We have now received the culture report and the death was because of swine flu," Kapoor said.

He said that in Jammu region 23 samples have been sent for testing to laboratories in Delhi out of which the department has so far received report of seven samples. "Out of the seven reports that we have received three tests have come positive for swine flu virus," he said.

While he added that the state was "fully prepared" to check the outbreak of the disease, doctors at various hospitals across the state are facing hardships because of the non availability of medicines and protective gears. 

Read: 5 ways to protect yourself against Swine Flu