Pune (PTI): Pune, worst hit by the swine flu virus, witnessed subdued 'dahi handi' celebration on the occasion of Janamashtami on Friday with many community functions being cancelled.

Major 'mandals' like 'Babu Jenu Mandi Mandal' and 'Dagdu Seth Mandal' did not celebrate the festival after authorities asked them to avoid crowding to check the spread the virus.

Nearly 25 mandals in Sahakar Naagr, Lakshmi Nagar, Aryaneshwar Nagar voluntarily decided not to celebrate the festival. However, the function was celebrated on a low key in some housing societies.

District collector Chandrakant Dalvi welcomed the move and said that efforts are on to improve the situation in the next few days.

"Its a good decision by the mandals. We had appealed to them to avoid celebrations if possible as large gatherings might cause spread of flu," he said.

The health authorities are making all efforts to control the situation, Dalvi said.

The city has so far witnessed 15 swine flu deaths.

Meanwhile, health officials said two swine flu patients kept on ventilators and four others admitted to ICU wards at various hospitals in the city were on Friday discharged.