New Delhi, Sep 25 - Nine swine flu deaths in the country Friday, including five from Maharashtra, took the toll due to influenza A (H1N1) in India to 286, health authorities said.

Other than Maharashtra, two deaths were reported from Surat (Gujarat), one from Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) and another from Mysore (Karnataka).

With the latest casualties, the toll in Maharashtra has jumped to 117, highest so far in the country.

The Karnataka toll has risen to 86, Gujarat has 28 fatalities and Tamil Nadu has reported four deaths.

At least 305 fresh cases were reported Friday that took the total number of people infected with the virus in the country to 9,284.

Of the fresh cases, Delhi tops the chart with 154 cases followed by Maharashtra (39) and Andhra Pradesh (32).

Meanwhile, Goa's education department has directed a school in Panaji to close down for a week after two students tested positive for swine flu and three others were suspected of being infected with the virus.

Speaking to IANS, Goa's Director of Education Celsa Pinto said that People's High School, located in the heart of the capital Panaji, has been shut.