New Delhi (IANS): There is no need to fear swine flu, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday, referring to the virus that has killed 23 people in the country.

Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on India's independence day, Manmohan Singh that the central government was working in tandem with the state governments to overcome the contagious disease.

"There is no need to fear" swine flu, he said, adding that it should not be allowed to derail people's daily lives.

At least 23 people have been killed in parts of India, a large number of them in Pune, since the disease began claiming lives early this month.

Nearly 1,400 confirmed cases of H1N1 virus have been reported, of which 648 patients have been discharged from hospitals after treatment.

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