India: swine flu death toll rises to 17

A 48-year-old man died of swine flu on Wednesday afternoon, the tenth victim of the contagious virus in this Maharashtra city and the 17th in India. Earlier today, a 50-year-old woman died of swine flu. Twelve people, including two in Mumbai and one in Nashik, have died of H1N1 virus in Maharashtra. Earlier, a Maharashtra schoolboy succumbed to swine flu just hours after three others in the state died of the same disease on Wednesday morning, officials said. The Maharashtra government has directed to close all schools, colleges for seven days and cinemas for three days. Business activities have also been slowed down in the industrial capital of India and foreigners are reluctant to travel to the country.