Two women, both aged 27, have succumbed to swine flu in this IT hub, raising the toll here due to the virus to five and across the country to 27. With this, Bangalore accounts for the second largest number of flu deaths after Pune, where the toll is 12.

Besides Pune and Bangalore, one person each has died due to the viral disease in Ahmedabad, Nashik, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Raipur and Bilapur and two each in Mumbai and Vadodara. Shamshad Begum and Shilpa Hegde fell prey to the infection at different hospitals here last night. Their test reports confirmed swine flu virus.

Admitted to Baptist Hospital on August 10, Begum was suffering from shortness of breath for the past three months and from cough and cold and fever lately. She was diagnosed as a patient with cardiovascular problem and signs of early pneumonia but she later showed symptoms of A(H1N1) influenza and her throat swab tested positive last night.