Three women were tested positive for the A/H1N1 virus in Hong Kong on Thursday, taking the number of confirmed cases in the city to 15, local health authorities told at a press briefing Thursday afternoon.

The first case involved a 17-year-old middle school student who returned from Canada via the Republic of Korea on May 24, said Thomas Tsang, controller of the Center for Health Protection of Hong Kong.

He said the student went back to school on Wednesday afternoon and took part in the rehearsal for the graduation ceremony. She was sent to the hospital Thursday. The government had asked the school, named the United Christian College, to suspend classes for14 days until June 10.

The second case is a 18-year-old woman who came back from Toronto of Canada on May 25, and the third case involved a 20-year-old woman who came back from the United States on May 25, Tsang said. They both showed no symptoms of influenza when they arrived at Hong Kong airport.

These three patients were given medical treatment in isolation at present, Tsang said.

The Center for Health Protection was tracking down the passengers who might have been in contact with these patients.

(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2009)