BEIJING, June 19 -- 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 32 female aged between three and 55.

    The department said in a statement that all of the students were in stable condition and had been admitted to public hospitals for medical treatment.

    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 spokesman said that the administration of directly observed chemoprophylaxis to or quarantine of close contacts of the patients would be stopped. Flight passengers in close contact with influenza A/H1NI patients would not be traced.

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

    Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hong Kong. （XHTV）