New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) India Friday reported eight new swine flu patients, taking the total number of influenza A(H1N1) virus cases to 268, health officials said.
Six children were among those who tested positive Friday, officials said.

At least “1,424 people have been tested so far, of which 268 are positive for Influenza A(H1N1),” the health ministry said in a statement.

“Of the 268 positive cases, 170 have been discharged,” it said.

Eight new laboratory-confirmed cases were reported from Delhi (2), Amritsar (1), Chennai (1), Trivandrum (2) and Pune (2).

In Delhi, a 13-year-old girl tested positive Friday. She had contracted the virus through a person who was earlier found to be infected with the flu.

On July 15, she reported the symptoms of fever and cough, and was admitted to an identified health facility.

Four public schools in the national capital have closed down some of their sections following panic after some students reported flu-like symptoms.

On Thursday, the Sardar Patel Vidyalaya closed a section of its Class IX after a girl tested positive for the flu. Many schools here issued do’s-and-dont’s for their students.

A five-year-old girl, who had travelled from Singapore and had reached Chennai July 15, was found to be having fever and cough during the screening at the airport. She was admitted to an identified health facility.

A four-year-old girl, who came from London via Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram July 15, tested positive for the flu. She reported with sore throat at an identified health facility the same day and was hospitalised.

A 17-year-old boy in Chennai contracted the virus through another positive person, officials said.

In Pune, two teenagers were detected with the virus.

Both the 13-year-old and 12-year-old girls caught the virus through a person who had earlier tested positive.