There are at least 38 cases, mostly students, who are currently under treatment in Panchgani, which is home to posh residential schools in the state.

Its twin hill station of Mahabaleshwar has also laid out the red carpet for tourists from Mumbai during the weekend, according to the Mahabaleshwar Hotels & Restaurants Association (MHRA).

'Usually monsoon is a lean period; the tourism season picks up only from Diwali. This time, coupled with a long weekend and the restrictions on festivities in Mumbai, people are making a beeline for Mahabaleshwar,' said a spokesman for MHRA.

He pointed out that many people are avoiding Pune - the city worst hit by swine flu in India and has reported 12 deaths - and there are inhibitions about travelling to Lonavala and Khandala. Therefore Mahabaleshwar, Matheran and Panchgani are favourites this time.

The popular Hotel Marina of Daman is house-full for the next three days, according to its owner, Tehmton Wadia. 'Usually our weekends are good business, irrespective of the season, but this weekend we had more than just the usual number of people coming to Daman,' he said.

Even the approximately 20 amusement parks, water parks and weekend resorts dotting the outskirts of Mumbai are preparing to receive the weekend vacationers despite the fear of swine flu.

'We don't make bookings for entertainment facilities. But there are many inquiries and bookings for the residential facilities here which are given as per availability,' said Vijay Saini, director of Green Court Club, a leading weekend resort adjoining Thane district.

For a day's picnic, the usual favourite haunts shall be the beaches at Juhu, Chowpatty, Marve, Gorai, Uttan, Alibaug, Madh Island, or the Panvel bird sanctuary and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park with its white tiger and lion safaris.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in)