10 more flu cases in Delhi, CM against closure of schools

NEW DELHI: Ten more persons, including five students, tested positive for swine flu in the national capital on Wednesday even as Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit advised schools in the city not to create panic by closing down.

Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia said 10 fresh cases of swine flu were reported taking the total number of those affected by virus in the city to 113.

She said of the 10 cases, five were those of students. So far 21 are admitted in the hospital are getting the treatment.

The Health Department has already issued advisories to private schools informing them about precautions needed to be taken to prevent spread of the disease among students.

With schools authorities shutting down their schools soon after a case of swine flu is reported in any of its students, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has advised them not to create panic by doing so.

"Closing down the school will create a panic, which is not necessary," Dikshit told reporters while reacting to reports of various schools asking their students to go on leave.

She, however, felt that it was the discretion of parents to send their children to school or not. "If parents don't want to send their ward (let them) not send them to school. The choice is with them. But we do not want to create a situation of panic which is not there," Dikshit said.

Last week, St Thomas School, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya and Springdales School in Pusa Road had asked their students to go on precautionary leave after their students was tested positive for the flu.