Bangalore, Sep 2 - A 31-year-old software engineer died of influenza A (H1N1) here, taking the toll from the virus to 28 in Karnataka, an official said Wednesday.

The software engineer, a native of Tamil Nadu, was working with a reputed US-based IT company here. He was admitted to Lakeside Hospital in the city Aug 28 and breathed his last Tuesday evening, official added.

'He was admitted with symptoms of pneumonia in progression and was down with fever for a week before he was brought here. He was administered Tamiflu on the first day and then put on ventilator for the next three days before he died,' Lakeside Hospital director H. Paramesh told IANS.

His throat and nasal swabs were sent for tests Aug 29 and the reports confirming that he tested positive for the virus were received Tuesday, he said.

With the outbreak of swine flu pandemic, large numbers of IT companies dotting Bangalore are already in 'alert' mode.