Ahmedabad: Swine flu claimed eight more lives in Gujarat on Monday, taking the toll to 283 since January this year.

Beside the eight deaths, 152 new swine flu cases have been recorded across the state today, taking the total number of cases to 4,766 so far, an official release said here today.

"Gujarat has reported eight swine flu deaths today, taking the total number of deaths to 283, while 152 new H1N1 (swine flu) cases were reported today," the release said.

Out of these eight deaths, three were reported from Ahmedabad, while one each were reported from Surat, Anand, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar, and Rajkot district, it said.

The Gujarat state government also claimed that 3,238 patients were cured till date.

Meanwhile, around 8,000 practicing lawyers in lower courts of the city announced that they would go on a five-day vacation due to the swine flu scare.

"There are five bar associations in the city which represents these lawyers. Today, as a precautionary measure, we have decided stay away from court proceedings between March 3 to March 7. However, we will take up urgent matters during this period," Ahmedabad Bar Association president Rajesh Parikh said.

Similarly, practicing lawyers of the High Court also met senior judges to urge the court not to take any action against lawyers who do not come for hearing during this period.

"There are lawyers who are concerned about swine flu and do not want to come until the situation improves. Thus, we requested the court that no adverse action should be taken against those who do not turn up. The High Court accepted our request," senior lawyer Yatin Oza said.