No need to shut down schools: Delhi CM

On a day that a Delhi school shut down for the next week after a student tested positive for swine flu, the Delhi government has said schools should not shut down without consulting the government.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the government did not support closure of schools because it would lead to unnecessary panic, but the government stopped short of issuing an order to this effect.

The swine flu deaths have been on the rise across the country. In all there have been four deaths so far - two in Pune and one in Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

In the latest case, a non-resident Indian Pravin Patel has died of the flu in Ahmedabad. The 43-year-old NRI had come to Ahmedabad with his wife on July 31. He had developed complications on August 5. He was shifted to civil hospital on August 8.

The first victim of the H1 N1 virus was 14 year-old Reeda Sheikh from Pune. Reeda's family claims that it was a clear case of misdiagnosis. The young girl was not only treated too late but treated for the wrong illness.

Meanwhile, worried about the growing number of deaths in the country due to swine flu, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has stepped in and reviewed the situation, asking the Health Ministry to co-ordinate with state governments efforts to contain further spread of the disease.

Singh spoke to Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday afternoon and asked him to take steps to remove misinformation and educate people about the disease.

PMO sources said Dr Singh told Azad to set up a panel of experts and doctors to spread correct information about the H1N1 virus that causes swine flu. (With PTI inputs)