Swine flu death toll 286 in India

305 fresh cases were also reported from various parts of the country taking the tally of affected people to 9,284.

Maharashtra accounted for 5 of the latest 9 deaths. Surat (Gujarat) reported two deaths, Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) and Mysore (Karnataka) reported one death each.

Surge in Delhi
There has been a surge in swine flu cases in Delhi. As many as 118 fresh cases of swine flu were reported from the national capital on Friday.

Out of the 118 latest swine flu cases, 68 are children and all of them have been quarantined. So far, 2,393 infections have been reported from Delhi, out of which 1,215 are children. According to health officials, 90 percent of the cases have been treated and discharged.

State Health Minister Kiran Walia said, “The situation is under control and the government is doing its best to provide treatment to H1N1 patients.”

“I advise people to visit the doctor at the earliest if there is any symptoms of swine flu,” added the minister.

School shut in Goa
Officials in Goa directed the closure of city-based People’s High School for one week till Sept. 30, after two students tested positive for the lethal virus. Three suspected cases of H1N1 were also reported from the school.

According to sources, the two students contracted the swine flu virus on their trip to Pune during the Ganesh holidays.

While the school closure raises panic alarm, school authorities maintain that the decision to shut down is as per the central government guidelines and there is no need to fear.

Goa's Director of Education Celsa Pinto said, “It is a precautionary measure. There is no need for panic. We have been asked by the directorate of health services to close the school for seven days. Both the infected students are from Class 5.”

Biking event in jeopardy
The swine flu played the spoil sport for India's 'toughest' mountain terrain biking event, the Hercules MTB Himachal.

A large number of foreign participants have cancelled their entries for the expedition citing the pandemic as the reason.

“Almost 50 percent of the participants from European countries have cancelled their entries. Most of them cited swine flu as the only reason for not participating in the expedition this time,” Mohit Sood, president of the Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA), said.