By IANS,
Mumbai : All educational institutions and public places in India’s financial capital Mumbai will be closed for a week from Thursday onwards to arrest the spread of H1N1 influenza that has claimed 11 lives in Maharashtra so far. Malls and multiplexes will be shut down for three days.
“The government has ordered the closure of all schools, colleges and other educational institutions in the city from tomorrow till Aug 20. Similarly, malls, theatres and multiplexes shall be closed for three days from tomorrow as a precaution,” a state government official told IANS.
Many private schools in the state have already closed down for two days — Wednesday and Thursday. Thereafter, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are official holidays.
However, there was confusion over the fate of other business and commercial establishments and whether they would continue to function as usual in the city.
In the past 12 hours, the swine flu toll in the state shot up to 11 with four more deaths reported, three from Pune and one from Nashik.
The virus, hitherto restricted to Mumbai, Pune and Satara has now spread to the fourth district, Nashik.