New Delhi, India (BBN)- India confirmed 17 more cases of the deadly Influenza A (H1N1) virus on Saturday, taking the total cases to 285, health ministry officials said.

Of the 17 new cases that tested positive for swine flu on the day, seven from New Delhi, five from Pune, two from Cochin and and one each from Trivandrum, Calicut, and Goa, a health minister press statement said in the capital, New Delhi.

So far, 1506 persons have been tested, of which 285 have tested positive for Influenza A (H1N1), 441 out of the 1506 persons have been identified through entry screening, 172 people through contact tracing and the rest were self reported, according to the statement.

“Of the 285 positive cases, 178 have been discharged. Rest of them remain admitted to the identified health facility,” the ministry added.

BBN/SS/SI/AD-19July09-3:16 am (BST)