Mangaluru: A suspected H1N1 infection, reported to be on an upswing in the coastal area, has claimed the life of a bank manager in the city, here on February 11.

The deceased Laxminarayan, employee of Bharat Bank in Hejamadi Udupi, had been suffering from fever and had taken medicines from local hospitals. However since he did not respond to the medicines, he was admitted to a private hospital in Mangaluru where he breathed his last on February 11. .

Blood samples of Laxminarayan have been sent to the lab for testing, said hospital sources.

Since January this year, two deaths have been reported in Udupi district out of the four reported cases of H1N1. Dakshina Kannada districts too have reported 5 cases of H1N1 in the same period.