A nurse leaves an isolation ward at a hospital in south China's Hong Kong, on June 18, 2009. Forty-nine new influenza A/H1NI cases were confirmed in Hong Kong on Thursday, bringing the city's tally to 221, Hong Kong's Department of Health announced. [Xinhua]

Fifty-four new influenza A/H1NI cases were confirmed in Hong Kong on Wednesday, bringing the city's tally to 172, Hong Kong's Department of Health announced.

The department said 13 of the newly confirmed cases are imported while 41 are local. The new cases involved 22 male and 32female aged between three and 55.

"All of them are in stable condition and have been admitted to public hospitals for medical treatment," said the department in a statement.

Among them are 26 students of the Hong Kong Australian International School and the father of an affected student. This brings to 29 the total number of people affected in the cluster.

Meanwhile, a 16-year-old girl studying in ECF Saint Too Canaan College in Kwun Tong was confirmed to have infected with the virus. The school will suspend class for two weeks starting tomorrow.

In light of the development of the disease in Hong Kong, the spokesman noted that some disease control measures would be implemented Thursday.

"The administration of directly observed chemoprophylaxis or quarantine of close contacts of the patients will be stopped. Flight passengers in close contact with influenza A/H1NI patients will not be traced," he said.

"Household contacts of confirmed patients will be put under medical surveillance and health advice will be provided," the spokesman said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2009)