The Vietnamese Ministry of Health confirmed 24 more A/H1N1 cases of influenza, bringing total number of flu patients to 499 in the country, local newspaper the New Hanoi reported Friday.

Among the new infection cases, 21 patients are in the southern and three in central provinces, said the ministry.

It also said there were two students at Ho Chi Minh City's Nguyen Khuyen private school found positive with A/H1N1 virus, raising fear of virus spread to a large number of students here. The school was closed and quarantined on Thursday.

So far, 346 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals. The rest are being quarantined and treated, all in stable conditions, said the newspaper.

Vietnam has reported no A/H1N1 related death since the first case confirmed in the country.

(Xinhua News Agency July 24, 2009)