Four people were tested positive for the A/H1N1 influenza virus in Hong Kong on Wednesday, including the city's first second-generation case, bringing the number of confirmed cases of the disease in Hong Kong to 49, the Center for Health Protection of Hong Kong announced.

The two new imported case involved a 21-year-old woman who came from Britain to Hong Kong at flight BA025 on June 7, and a woman who arrived in Hong Kong from the United States on June 9.

Controller of the Center for Health Protection of Hong Kong Thomas Tsang said on Wednesday that a 55-year-old man who did not have recent overseas travel record was confirmed to have contracted A/H1N1 flu, which was classified as second-generation transmission arising from an overseas imported case.

The man went to a cocktail party in Hong Kong on June 5, which was also attended by a patient who was confirmed earlier to have infected with the new flu. He developed flu symptoms on June 8 and was rushed to the hospital on June 9 for quarantine.

The fourth new confirmed case involved a 16-year-old student of St. Paul's Convent School in Causeway Bay. She and eight classmates have developed flu and stayed at home since June 7.

The school will be closed until June 24, with the eight sick students to be hospitalized for checks. The other classmates will also be given medication and put under surveillance.

Her brother had flu symptoms at the end of May, which subsided on June 4. The Alliance Primary School where he studies does not report any outbreak.

The steering committee on pandemic strategies will hold a meeting on Thursday if the case is confirmed a local one.

Secretary for Food and Health York Chow said on Wednesday the newly proposed a/H1N1 flu vaccination program can protect at-risk groups as far as possible.

When asked what other measures will be implemented in Hong Kong if the World Health Organization raises the alert level, he said the city is already operating as if there is a pandemic.

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2009)