HONG KONG, June 23 (Xinhua) -- A third death in connection with flu A/H1N1 was reported Tuesday in Australia while more infection cases have been confirmed in other Asia-Pacific countries.

    Another Australian man died with flu A/H1N1 virus on Tuesday, which is the country's second death related to the new flu.

    The 35-year-old Colac man, who had a range of significant underlying medical problems, is believed to have died from respiratory failure.

    Australian Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the man's death was a reminder that A/H1N1 flu could present severe consequences for some people, including those who have respiratory diseases, pregnant women and the morbidly obese.

    "Unfortunately, as this disease continues to spread through the community, it is inevitable that we will experience more cases with severe outcomes, potentially also resulting in death," she said.

    A 26-year-old aboriginal man died in connection with the flu virus on Friday, though doctors are not sure whether the flu virus is the cause for the death.

    The neighboring New Zealand has reported 364 cumulative cases of flu A/H1N1 infection as of Tuesday, up from 303 from Monday.

    "I have been advised that this flu will become very widespread -- the number of confirmed cases has grown by a fifth overnight," said Health Minister Tony Ryall.

    However, Fran McGrath, deputy director of public health, said the number 364 was an "under-estimate."

    In Hong Kong, 60 new cases were reported on Tuesday, taking the populous region's tally to 408.

    The latest cases involved 35 males and 25 females, aged from three and 63. A secondary school was advised to suspend class for two weeks after a boy of the school was confirmed to have contracted the disease in Singapore.

    Macao also reported three more cases Tuesday with the region's tally rising to eight.

    Given the increasing number of confirmed cases, Macao's Coordination Center of Influenza raised the pandemic alert level to the blue category of phase six, which means the situation is normal, with only a number of confirmed cases found, and no death recorded. There are four categories within the phase six, of which red refers to the most severe situation.

    Meanwhile, Macao's Sports Development Board has announced that it will temporarily close all government-run indoor sports facilities in the city as part of the stepped-up prevention measures against the epidemic.

    Singapore has recorded 194 flu A/H1N1 cases with 26 new cases reported Tuesday.

    According to the country's Health Ministry, the newly confirmed cases include 10 local cases and 16 cases with international travel history.

    The ministry said local pandemic preparedness clinics across the country are geared up to provide prompt treatment to people with flu-like symptoms.

    To control further spread, the Education Ministry will issue a seven-day leave of absence to all school staff and students returning from affected countries. It believed about 1 to 2 percent of students and staff members will return from those countries.

    Local schools will send travel declaration forms to all staff members, parents of students, vendors and service providers before school reopens on June 29. There will be temperature taking twice daily and screening of travel history.

    Since the first case was confirmed on May 27, 68 patients have been discharged and the remaining 126 patients are in the hospital and in stable condition.

    The Malaysian Health Ministry confirmed ten new cases of A/H1N1flu Tuesday, raising the total number of the cases to 69.

    The ministry said two of the latest cases were local transmissions and ordered two more schools to be closed for a week.

    Meanwhile, the ministry required that students arriving in Malaysia from the United States, Britain, Australia and the Philippines must undergo home quarantine for a week.

    South Korean health authorities said the nation's A/H1N1 flu infection toll rose to 121 after confirming four additional cases Tuesday.

    So far, 43 patients, including five unconfirmed ones, still remain in isolated hospitals.

    The health authorities have been preparing measures against a massive outbreak of infections as more Koreans studying abroad are expected to return home over the summer.

    The Vietnamese health officials said the four more A/H1N1 flu cases have been confirmed Tuesday, bringing the total number to 52.

    The latest cases involve three Vietnamese citizens returning from Australia and an Australian tourist.

    The neighboring Laos, reported the country's second case, a 9-year-old American boy who arrived in capital Vientiane on Saturday with flu symptoms.

    The country's first flu A/H1N1 patient, an Australian man, has recovered, according to local newspaper report.

    The Philippine top legislator on Tuesday ordered the suspension of work in the House of Representatives after one of its employees infected with flu A/H1N1 virus died Friday, the first death case of the flu in Asia.

    House Speaker Prospero Nograles said the closure of the Batasan Pambansa complex, or the House compound, will last until June 28 to allow safety and preventive measures to be implemented.

    Nograles said in a statement, "Our Medical services will spearhead all the necessary precautionary steps needed to eliminate further health hazards. This includes the necessary contact tracing of possible victims and their families."

    About 3,000 employees of the House have been receiving free flu vaccination since Monday and it could be extended to members of their families by next week, the statement said.

    By Monday, the Philippine health authorities have reported 445 confirmed A/H1N1 influenza cases, but 374 of them, or 84 percent, have fully recovered.