'As such, only patients complaining of high-grade fever accompanied with cold, cough and diarrhoea, need to be tested for H1N1,' he added.

Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) Microbiology department head T.N. Dhole said: 'We have received only 35 samples to be tested for swine flu until Monday evening.'

According to Dhole: 'Even though the state government had arranged for carrying out the tests free of charge, each test costs about Rs.5,000 to the state exchequer.'

SGPGI lab was the only authorized centre for the test in the state.

Chemists in Lucknow confirmed that the demand for masks too has come down.

'Until last week, we were selling a large number of masks, but clearly the demand is comparatively very low now,' said Harish, owner of a busy chemist store here.