HONG KONG, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Thailand and Brunei each reported a death related to flu A/H1N1 on Friday, and at least seven countries reported more than 400 infections in the Asia-Pacific region on the same day.

    Meanwhile, Japan and China's Hong Kong have also detected genetic mutations of the new strain of flu A/H1N1 virus, which are found resistant to anti-flu drug Tamiflu.

    FLU-RELATED DEATHS RISE

    Thailand's Public Heath Ministry late Friday announced the country's sixth death in connection with flu A/H1N1.

    The victim was a 30-year-old man weighing 123 kilograms, according to Thai news agency INN.

    The ministry announced 154 more patients have been confirmed toe infected with the A/H1N1 flu virus, bringing the country's total number to 1,710.

    The public health offices nationwide were instructed to control the expanding flu outbreak within the next three months, otherwise the outbreak might prolong until the end of the year, the ministry said.

    Brunei confirmed its first A/H1N1 flu fatality as a 12-year-oldgirl suffering from chronic complications died on Thursday after she had been infected with the flu virus.

    Health Minister Suyoi bin Osman said the girl was admitted to a clinic on June 14 for chronic complications of auto-immune hepatitis, end-stage liver failure and pneumonia.

    The minister said the flu might have accelerated her death.

    Meanwhile, the ministry has confirmed 27 new infections on Thursday, bringing the country's tally to 93.

    TWO-DIGIT RISE CONTINUES

    Singapore on Friday confirmed 91 new flu cases, bringing the cumulative total to 969 in the city state. At the same time, investigations are underway for 97 possible cases.

    The number of confirmed flu cases in New Zealand rose to 912 on Friday, up 87 from that of Thursday, the Health of Ministry said.

    But the actual figure was certain to be much higher given that every person suspected to have the virus was no longer being swabbed, Director of Public Health Mark Jacobs said on Friday.

    China's Hong Kong region reported 44 new cases on Friday, with the total number rising to 901, the health authorities said in the evening.

    The new cases involve 26 males and 18 females, aged between 2 and 81, according to a spokesman for the region's health department.

    The Chinese mainland also confirmed 45 new cases, raising the recorded number to 960, of whom, 660 patients have been discharged from hospital and 293 others are under medical treatment.

    The Malaysian Health Ministry said on Friday that the country detected 47 new flu cases and has recorded a total of 291 cases so far.

    Of the total number of such cases, locally transmitted ones account to 44 and 175 patients have been discharged from hospital.

    In south Korea, 15 people were confirmed to have been infected with the flu virus on Friday, raising the nation's total number to253, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

    Vietnam's Ministry of Health confirmed 15 more cases on Friday, bringing the country's total number to 181.

    With an increasing number of flu A/H1N1 infections and the current existence of the bird flu of H5N1 in northern province Quang Ninh, the ministry warned of possible danger posed by a combination of these two strains of flu virus.

    Meanwhile, the first batch of the self-developed flu A/H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available in six months, said Nguyen ThuVan, Director of the Vaccine and Bio-Technology No.1 Company, one of the country's producers of bird flu vaccine.

    DRUG-RESISTANT MUTATIONS FOUND

    Japan's health ministry said it detected the first genetic mutation of the H1N1 strain of influenza A that develops resistance to the anti-flu drug Tamiflu.

    The resistant virus was detected in an infected woman in her 40s, who is recovering after being treated with Relenza, another anti-flu drug.

    In Hong Kong, a strain of influenza A/H1N1 virus was found resistant to Tamiflu, according to local health authorities on Friday.

    The virus was identified during a routine sensitivity test of the new flu virus to Tamiflu and Relenza, a spokesman with the health department said.

    He said this is the first time Tamiflu resistance in flu A/H1N1virus found in Hong Kong.

    The virus was isolated from the specimen taken from a 16-year-old girl coming from San Francisco. She was intercepted by Port Health Office at the Hong Kong International Airport on June 11 upon arrival. She had mild symptoms and was discharged upon recovery on June 18.

    According to WHO's latest update on its website Friday, more than 89,921 confirmed flu A/H1N1 cases and 382 deaths have been reported worldwide since the virus was first detected in April. The figure issued by the organization is believed to be more secure though it lags behind the situation.