The number of confirmed Influenza A(H1N1) cases in the country is fast closing in to the century mark with 11 new cases detected as of 8am this morning. The total number of cases stands at 91 now.

The latest 11 cases comprised of eight imported cases and three local transmissions, said Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai today.

While it was revealed yesterday that a drastic 400 percent increase of the flu was recorded in the last one week in the country, the good news today is that 35 patients have recovered.

Others are responding well to treatment, added Liow.

liow tiong lai h1n1 flu parliament pc 220609 02 He also revealed that in the latest eight imported cases, five were Malaysians while the rest were Irish, Australian and Philippine citizens.

And of the three local transmissions, two were Malaysians and the other, a Yemeni.

"The latest figure brings the number of confirmed H1N1 cases to 91, comprising 77 imported and 14 local transmissions," he was reported as saying by Bernama today.

The health minister also said that the number of schools closed due to the disease remained at four - Sri Cempaka International School, SK Assunta 1 and 2, SJK Jalan Davidson.

Three young patients

The latest cases included a 27-year-old Malaysian woman who developed fever while in Phuket, Thailand on June 19.

Bernama reported that she returned to Malaysia on Sunday on AirAsia flight number AK823 which landed at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang. She then took AirAsia AK5368 flight to Penang.

She was admitted to Penang Hospital on Monday. Four people who came in contact with her were hospitalised at the Alor Setar Hospital while seven were put on house quarantine.

Another case involved a 26-year-old Australian tourist who arrived at the Kuching International Airport from Singapore on board Jetstar flight 3K529 on Monday.

swine flu pandemic Eighteen passengers of the flight had been identified and put on house quarantine while the rest were still being traced, said Liow.

Three young patients have also been admitted separately after catching the flu.

The first was a nine-year-old Malaysian child who lives with parents in Cyprus. She arrived in Malaysia on June 20 and was admitted to the University of Malaya Medical Centre. Her eight family members had been put under house quarantine.

The second was a six-year-old Irish girl who arrived on June 21. Eleven people who came in contact with her had been traced and quarantined.

A 19-month-old baby is the 89th victim and is reportedly stable.

Health units in schools

Meanwhile, in a related development, the Education Ministry has issued a new directive to schools ordering them to set up health units immediately to combat the spreading influenza A(H1N1).

Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong told reporters in Parliament today that each school will have to set up one health unit which will be headed by the school's headmaster.

The units will be tasked to monitor the health status of teachers and students.

"The district education department will also have to form a committee to monitor the units in the schools," he added.

At the same time, he added that all school-related programmes where students are required to travel overseas have been cancelled for the time being.

He also said the four schools that have been closed will be reopened at the scheduled date, with all teachers and students having to undergo health screening.