School children wearing masks to prevent infection in Allahabad. (Press Trust of India)
At the time when swine flu cases in the country have crossed 10,000 mark, Mumbai Mayor Snehal Ambekar today called it a "heart disease" and made a bizarre suggestion that the municipal authority will plant trees to check the disease.
"Swine flu is a heart disease... Hence, BMC will plant trees, develop gardens and parks to check swine flu," Ms Ambekar told reporters after garlanding the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the occassion of his birth anniversary in Mumbai today.
The blooper from Ms Ambedkar comes a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was quoted saying that swine flu "mostly happens from mosquito bite".
Swine flu, caused by an infection of H1N1 virus, has claimed over 650 lives across the country and affected over 10,000 people. In Maharashtra, 83 disease-related deaths have been reported so far.