Schools, colleges, malls shut in Pune over swine flu

The Maharashtra government has decided to close down all schools, colleges, cinema halls and malls in the Pune-Pimpri-Chinchwad area from Monday in an attempt to arrest the spread of swine flu in the state.

The Maharashtra government has decided to close down all schools, colleges, cinema halls and malls in the Pune-Pimpri-Chinchwad area from Monday in an attempt to arrest the spread of swine flu in the state.

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While schools and colleges will be closed for the entire week, cinema halls will be shut for three days, a state government spokesman announced in Pune.

A 35-year-old ayurvedic doctor in Pune died of influenza A (H1N1) virus early on Monday, taking the toll to six in the country. India's first swine flu victim was 14-year-old Reeda Shaikh who died on Aug 3, also in Pune.

Three of the six swine flu deaths in India so far have taken place in this area of Maharashtra.