We need to work a little harder. We are sending 33 to 35 joint secretaries and additional secretaries of different ministries to states for the purpose,' Azad had said.

'They will impress upon state governments to increase hospitals (for screening), isolation wards. They will meet health secretaries, chief secretaries and health ministers and tell them about the disease, how to manage it and prepare better,' the minister said, adding that states must be better prepared to deal with the pandemic.

'Health is a state subject. They must take extra care to control it. The central government generally sends advisories but this time we are proactive and spoon-feeding them,' Azad said.

A schoolgirl became the eighth victim of the swine flu Tuesday when she succumbed to the virus. Shruti Gavde, 13, died in Sassoon Hospital, Pune, barely hours after a pharmacist Sanjay Tilekar died there last night, the official from the State Swine Flu Control Room said.

Pune tops the list of casualties with five deaths so far followed by one death each in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chennai.

The total swine flu infections now stand at 960 with 95 new cases reported Monday.