HONG KONG, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Two Pacific island countries, Tonga and the Marshall Islands, each reported the first infection cases of flu A/H1N1 on Wednesday. Thailand reported the country's 25th death related to the disease on the same day.

    The Pacific island kingdom of Tonga reported its first two cases of influenza A/H1N1, a visitor from Australia and a local resident.

    The Public Health Division said the families of the two patients have not been affected.

    The Marshall Islands, with a population of 55,000, also confirmed its first flu A/H1N1 cases on Wednesday.

    However, the Ministry of Health did not reveal how many people were involved in the cases.

    Thailand reported 412 more influenza A/H1N1 cases and one more death related to the flu on Wednesday, which brought the country's total infections to 4,469 and death toll to 25.

    Thai cabinet on Tuesday approved an 850-million-baht (24.9 million U.S. dollars) budget to purchase antiviral vaccine and medicine to curb outbreak of the influenza A/H1N1.

    In Australia, the A/H1N1 flu cases have risen to 10,387, more than 10 percent of the global total confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

    Currently, 123 people are in hospital for treatment, including 58 under intensive care.

    So far, about 20 people infected with A/H1N1 flu have died in Australia, although the virus has not yet been confirmed as the cause of death in any of the cases.

    Officials have expressed growing concern over the disease as it starts to infect otherwise healthy people.

    "We are seeing a few people that were previously well but are severely affected by the disease," chief medical officer Jim Bishop said.

    In China's Hong Kong, 78 new cases were reported on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1,467 in the region.

    Fifteen patients are currently in hospitals for treatment, including 13 in stable condition, another in serious and the other in critical condition.

    Singapore's Health Ministry on Wednesday reported that two new patients, both women, are under intensive care after having contracted flu A/H1N1 virus.

    There are currently 50 confirmed A/H1N1 flu cases in Singapore, including three in critical condition, according to the ministry.

    Singapore reported its first confirmed case on May 27. On June 18, and has recorded more than 1,200 cases so far.

    The Malaysian Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 21 new cases of A/H1N1 flu, bringing the total number of such cases to 825.

    Malaysian Health Ministry Director-General Ismail Merican said that among the new cases, seven were imported and 14 were locally infected.

    He said that 703 of the total patients had recovered.

    Meanwhile, Ismail urged the corporate sector and government agencies to prepare business continuity plans based on the guidelines provided by the ministry in order to control the pandemic.

    Vietnam reported 10 more cases on the same day, bring the country's tally to 309

    So far, 258 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. The rest are being treated, all in stable condition.

    Indonesia has confirmed 30 new cases of A/H1N1 flu, including four foreigners and 26 Indonesian citizens, which brought the total cases to 142 in the country, Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

    Macao reported three newly confirmed cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of such cases to 90 in the region.

    Two of the three newly confirmed cases were locally infected while the other one was imported.

    So far, some 15 patients are still receiving medical treatment while 73 others have been discharged from the hospitals.

    Fiji's Ministry of Health reported eight new cases on Wednesday, taking the total number to 81 in the country.

    Ministry of health spokesperson Iliesa Tora said there was a need for people to practice social distancing at this time and be serious about the advise of not mingling with those already sick with flu-like symptoms as well as not sharing cups.

    Nepal's health ministry said it has confirmed five more infection cases on Wednesday, raising the country's total number to 14.

    The latest cases include an Australian visitor and 13 Nepali citizens mostly returning from the United States.