With swine flu claiming one more life in Orissa, the death toll due to the disease in the state rose to nine, even as nine students of National Law University were hospitalised in Cuttack with flu-like symptoms.
The swab test report of a patient from Boudh district, who died at VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla yesterday, confirmed swine flu, official sources said today.
While the state government appealed to people not to panic, at least nine students of National Law University in Cuttack were admitted in SCB medical college and hospital yesterday having flu-like symptoms.
Suspecting that the students are afflicted with H1N1 virus, swab samples of six students were sent for examination while all of them are now under anti-viral regime undergoing treatment in an isolated ward of the hospital.
All the ailing students are boarders of the University hostel where some others are reported to be suffering from cold and cough for the last few days.
Meanwhile, all classes of the University were suspended today and many students were seen leaving for their homes vacating the hostel as swine flu threat has gripped the hostel. The hostel accommodates nearly 260 students, many of whom are from outside the state.
All the students who were suffering from cough and cold were examined by the doctors, said district collector Kishore Kumar Mohanty.
SCB Medical College and Hospital received two more patients having flu-like symptoms last evening, taking the total patients in the swine flu ward of the hospital to 13.
Meanwhile, classes in a private engineering college at Jharpokhria in Mayurbhanj district were suspended after many students, mostly from outside Orissa, left for their native places demanding closure of the institute due to swine flu scare, college principal Rajnikant Chotray said.
