Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 23 : A private school in this Kerala capital was Friday asked to close down by the district administration after 16 students tested positive for swine flu.

Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Sanjay Kaul directed the management of St Thomas School to shut down for a week. The school has more than 5,000 students enrolled in it.

Amar S. Fettle, the state nodal officer for swine flu, said: "In the past, there have been instances where schools on their own took the decision to shut down, but this is the first time that the state has come up with such a directive."

"Today, (Friday) a dozen people tested positive in the state taking the total number of affected to 900. The thing is that the health department alone cannot control the spread of the virus. People should rise to the occasion and maintain a civic sense," Fettle said.(IANS)