One more person has succumbed to swine flu in Hyderabad, taking the total number of deaths due to the disease this year in Telangana to 8.

Two persons infected with the H1N1 virus died late on Tuesday while the third patient passed away on Wednesday, said Dr K Subhakar, the nodal officer for swine flu and other infectious diseases.

The patient, who had initially received treatment at different private hospitals, was referred to the state-run Gandhi Hospital, but died in transit while being moved there, Subhakar said.

With the third death in a week, the toll this year has gone up to 8 in Telangana. Three patients are currently undergoing treatment for swine flu in the state.

The official had yesterday said that 54 cases of swine flu have been reported this year. He had added that the number is small as compared to the hundreds of cases that were reported in 2009.

Reminding that the US-based Centre for Disease Control has warned that this winter could be a tough one in terms of swine flue occurrences, Subhakar had said there is a need for being vigilant to check the spread of the disease.