Three Pune schools closed due to swine flu threat

Pune, July 26 (ANI): Three schools in Pune have been closed after 26 of their students tested positive for swine flu.

City's Abhinav School reported 23 students with swine flu symptoms, Symbiosis two, while Seva Sadan High School reported one case.

The number of swine flu victims in the city suddenly shot up after some students returned from a trip to Indiana, US.

The schools will remain closed till August 2.

Maharashtra Education Minister, Radhakrishna V.K. Patil who had visited the schools on Saturday, said, "The fear which spread amongst parents that swine flu was spreading has been brought to rest by closing the schools. But shutting down the schools cannot be a solution for countering swine flu."

The school authorities and the city corporation will sit together and sort out the issue, he added.

Earlier, the Centre has granted licences to three pharmaceutical companies to manufacture the swine flu vaccine.

According to sources, these companies will contact the World Health Organisation for acquiring seeds.

A committee has been constituted to keep a watch on the process of aquiring the seeds and manufacturing of vaccine. It will be headed by the Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Reseasch, Dr. V M Katoch. (ANI)