H1N1 claims 25th victim in Pune

The toll in the H1N1 flu epidemic in Pune rose to 25 with a middle-aged woman succumbing to the viral infection on Wednesday.

The victim -- Shabana Shaikh -- had been put on ventilator since her admission to the government-run Sassoon Hospital on August 22, hospital sources said.

Meanwhile, attendance at schools and colleges, which reopened on August 24 after a gap of a fortnight, remained affected by the flu scare among parents and students.

The district administration has issued an appeal to people to get on with their activities without frequenting crowded places, even as Ganesh festival enthusiasts in some parts thronged pandals to have glimpses of tableaux depicting scenes that underlined vigilance to curb spread of the deadly virus.