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Wary of swine flu, city colleges cancel outstation trips for students

Wary of swine flu, city colleges cancel outstation tripsu00a0 for students

Educational institutions are playing it safe as cases of swine flu increase in the city.

Unsure about what to do in case someone contracts the disease or shows symptoms of the H1N1 virus, colleges have decided to cancel study excursions and sports tours.

Manju Nichani, principal, K C College, said, "As precautionary measures this year, we will make sure that students don't leave Mumbai to avoid any contact with infections. We will soon hand out a list of dos and don'ts to students."

One more school shuts: After Dhirubhai Ambani International School shut its doors to swine flu, J B Vachha High School, Dadar, too announced that they would be shut till August 20. One student has tested positive for swine flu.

Added A C Vanjani, principal, MMK College, "Our industrial trips will continue. However, they will be restricted to Mumbai only."

S G A Zaidi, principal, Rizvi College, Bandra, said, "Due to the ongoing strike among college teachers, we have had no discussion regarding swine flu.
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But if students are going to participate in any sports event, we will advise them to take precautionary measures."

Meanwhile, the University of Mumbai is still waiting for the government to send instructions on what colleges should do.

Pro vice-chancellor A D Sawant said, "We are waiting for directions from the government's medical department, so that we can send some guidelines to our colleges to tackle swine flu issues."

Seven Mumbai schoolchildren test positive for swine flu

Seven schoolchildren, including six girls, have tested positive for swine flu in Mumbai till yesterday. One school has been asked to shut down to stop the spread of the virus.

Dhirubhai Ambani School at Bandra-Kurla complex was asked to temporarily suspend classes after Zanai Bhosale (7), tested positive for Influenza A (H1N1) virus.

Three students of RIMS International School at Andheri and one from J B Vachha School, Andheri, have also tested positive for swine flu.

Dhruva Bheda (14), a student of Sindhgad Institute and Pranita Kulkarni from A K Joshi School in Thane district are being treated.