As three more cases of influenza A/H1N1 were confirmed on Tuesday, bringing the total number of Macao's confirmed cases to eight, the Special Administrative Region's (SAR) Coordination Center of Influenza raised the pandemic alert level to phase six.

The newly confirmed cases, two of which were imported, concern a 39-year-old Philippine woman, an 18-year-old male local resident, and a 13-year-old Indonesian, according to the SAR's Health Bureau (SSM).

The Philippine woman came to Macao a month ago and has since lived with another Philippine woman who is Macao's fourth confirmed A/H1N1 patient. She was confirmed as being infected with the virus Monday night, the SSM said.

The Macao resident, who studies in the United Kingdom, returned to Macao from London between June 18 and 19. He showed flu symptoms Monday and his case was confirmed Monday night. Local authorities have put the patient's mother under medical observation.

The third case involves an Indonesian who arrived in Macao from Indonesia on June 18, when Macao reported its first confirmed case. The patient went to a local hospital on June 20 after falling sick, and he left for Hong Kong the next day. The SSM said that it has informed relevant departments in Hong Kong, and the patient has been quarantined and given medical treatments there.

Given the increasing number of confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1, Macao's Coordination Center of Influenza raised the pandemic alert level to the blue category of phase six, which means the situation is normal, with only a number of confirmed cases found, and no death recorded. There are four categories within the phase six, of which red refers to the most severe situation.

So far, some 30 persons who had close contact with the A/H1N1 flu patients have been put under medical observation, according to the SSM.

Due to the fact that those confirmed cases do not concern local schools, Macao will not suspend classes, said Sou Chio Fai, director of Macao's Education and Youth Affairs Bureau.

Meanwhile, Macao's Sports Development Board has announced that it will temporarily close all government-run indoor sports facilities in the city as part of the stepped-up prevention measures against the epidemic.

(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2009)