The rising number of cases of swine flu has triggered a wave of panic among parents in Pune. The total count of swine flu cases has reached 42 in the city, including the six recent cases of school students.

Out of the six children, five were students of the Symbiosis School. The sixth was a standard IX girl from the Jupiter division of New India School, located in Kothrud.

Amid the widespread fear of the swine flu, Abhinava Vidyalaya, Symbiosis and Sevasadan schools have been closed till August 2.

Health officials believe that the students could have been infected by students of other schools, during an educational programme organized before the July 22 total solar eclipse. The programme was attended by children of many schools.

Dr RR Pardeshi, acting chief health officer of the Pune Municipal Corporation's health department, said that a meeting between municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade, the authorities and the principals would be called on Sunday to decide whether the New India School should be closed to prevent further spread of the infection.

Three pharmaceutical companies have already given permission by the government to manufacture the swine flu vaccine. The Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr. V M Katoch, will be the head of the committee constituted by government to oversee the process of the manufacture of the vaccine.