Beijing confirmed 16 new A/H1N1 flu cases on Thursday, including 10 more students at the primary school that reported seven cases on Wednesday, the municipal health bureau said.

The disease had sickened 17 students by 8:00 PM on Thursday at the Nanhu Zhongyuan Primary School in Chaoyang District, and they are all in stable condition, according to the bureau.

Local health authorities are tracking where the students contracted the A/H1N1 virus.

About 150 students, teachers and parents who had close contact with the patients have been quarantined. Other students and staff are under observation at home.

The primary school has 941 students and 78 teachers.

The flu outbreak has forced the school to start the summer vacation a week ahead of schedule.

The new cases brings the total number in Beijing to 171 by 8:00 PM on Thursday, among whom 106 have recovered and been discharged from hospital.

(Xinhua News Agency July 3, 2009)