New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) The central government has committed Rs.332.92 crore in various health measures to check the spread of Influenza A (H1N1), more commonly known as swine flu, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Friday.

The first case of swine flu in the country was confirmed in May this year.

'The central government has so far spent or committed funds to the tune of Rs.332.92 crore (on swine flu). Direct financial assistance to the states has been in the form of Oseltamivir supplied to the states and for training,' Azad told the Lok Sabha.

The total swine flu toll in the country was 537 as of late Thursday. The contagious flu has infected more than 16,000 people.

The central government has sent Central Rapid Response Teams to states like Punjab, Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to contain the pandemic.

'Since a large number of cases are now being reported from Rajasthan and Kerala, the Central Rapid Response Teams are visiting them,' Azad said.

Forty-one laboratories have been made operational across the country for testing clinical samples, he added.