New Delhi, Aug 21 - Twelve more swine flu deaths were confirmed in India Friday, taking the total number of deaths from the H1N1 virus to 48, the union health ministry said here.

The maximum deaths have been reported from Maharashtra where 27 people have died. The state, which is the worst hit by the virus, recorded six deaths in the last 24 hours.

The country also reported 138 new cases of influenza A (H1N1), taking the total number of infected people across the country to 2,539.

Apart from Maharashtra, two people died in Karnataka, three in Gujarat and one in Tamil Nadu. Eleven deaths have been reported in Karnataka so far.

It is followed by Gujarat where five people have died. In Tamil Nadu and Delhi, the number is two each, and in Kerala one person has fallen victim to the deadly virus.

At a conference of state health ministers in New Delhi Friday, union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that 36 deaths had been reported till Thursday.

But he admitted that there has been some confusion about the death toll and the officials are checking the figures with the state governments.

'There is no need to panic as the country has so far managed to control the spread of virus,' he said.