So far, 9,904 persons have been tested, of whom 1,928 have been found positive positive for the virus. out of these, 703 have been cured and discharged from hospitals.

'A central team is stationed in Maharashtra to assist the state government in instituting appropriate public health measures,' the health ministry said.

Meanwhile, the premier Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad sought help from health officials on preventive measures to ward off swine flu threat in the campus. The development came after one of its students tested positive to the virus but left for her home in Delhi without informing the institute management.

'We have already taken a series of preventive measures to ward off any threat of the H1N1 virus spreading in the campus by following several recommendations made by the AMC's (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation) health officials,' IIM-A said in a statement.

In Kolkata, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly's niece tested positive for swine flu and was admitted to the isolation ward of a hospital. The 11-year-old girl is stable but under constant medical supervision.