New Delhi, Aug 28 - With the country reporting five more swine flu deaths Friday, taking the toll from the H1N1 virus to 83, the government is considering selling the anti-influenza drug in the open market.

Three patients died in Karnataka and one each in Maharashtra and Kerala. In Karnataka, two deaths were reported from Bangalore and one from Bijapur.

According to Maharashtra health authorities, a 39-year-old man suffering from swine flu died at a Navi Mumbai hospital. With this, the toll from the viral disease in the state rose to 48.

On Friday, the Drug Controller General of India Surinder Singh said they would allow the retail sale of the anti-flu drug Oseltamivir, a generic version of Roche's Tamiflu.

Singh said the notification regarding the sale of Oseltamivir through retail pharmacies is expected to come in the next 10-12 days.

Six companies Ranbaxy, Cipla, Metco, Hetero, Strides and Roche have been granted licence for the manufacture and distribution of the drug.

Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi had told IANS 'If the situation demands, we will allow restricted sale of Tamiflu.'

According to officials, Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of deaths and H1N1 cases in the country. A staggering 1,519 cases have been reported from the state.

The person who died of swine flu in Maharashtra has been identified only as Shaikh. He was admitted to D.Y. Hospital in Navi Mumbai a few days ago in a serious condition and died late Thursday.

So far, 22 of the 34 districts in the state are swine flu-affected, the worst hit among them being Pune, Mumbai and Nashik.

Karnataka has reported the second highest deaths after Maharashtra at 23.