Macao reported six newly confirmed cases of flu A/H1N1 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of such cases to 68 in the region.

Two of the six latest cases were imported while the other four were locally infected, according to Macao's Health Bureau.

The locally-infected cases concerned two children, who are siblings and at the age of seven and two respectively, and their 22-month-old cousin. The three young patients lived in their grandparents' house and fell ill on last Sunday and Monday respectively. Seven of the patients' family members have been quarantined at their own residences.

Meanwhile, the other three confirmed cases were also found in a local Portuguese family. The patients included a 14-year-old Portuguese girl, her 37-year-old father and her 63-year-old grandmother. The girl and her father have acquired Macao residency, while her grandmother just came to Macao from Portugal on July 1.

The grandmother showed flu symptoms on July 5, and the other two fell ill the following day. The Bureau said another six members of the family have been put under medical observation at their own residences.

According to the statistics from the Health Bureau, some 26 patients who tested positive for the A/H1N1 flu virus were still receiving medical treatments at local hospitals and they were all in stable health conditions. In addition, a total of 51 persons who had close contact with the patients were put under medical observation at their own residences so far.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2009)