The infections bring Singapore's total to 126, the Ministry of Health said in a statement late yesterday. The government will continue trying to contain the virus “for as long as it is practical to do so,” it said. “Singaporeans can protect themselves and others by practicing good personal hygiene and being socially responsible,” the ministry said in the statement.

Among the city-state's new infections was a member of a Philippines youth football team, which is contesting the Asian Youth Games in Singapore, the ministry said.

The other 17 members of the team, and two coaches, have been quarantined, the Straits Times newspaper reported.

Malaysia confirmed seven new cases, bringing its total to 42, including one case of local transmission, the nation's health minister, Liow Tiong Lai, said in a statement on his Web site yesterday.

The Philippines detected 36 new cases, all mild, bringing its total to 428, the nation's health department said on its Web site today. Almost 80 percent of those infected have recovered, the department said.

New Zealand detected 42 new cases as its tally reached 258, of which 213 have been reported in the past seven days, the nation's health ministry said.

“Whilst most cases so far have been mild to moderate, over the coming weeks and months, we will see a big increase in the number of cases,” Mark Jacobs, the ministry's director of public health, said in the statement.

Hong Kong closed three schools for 14 days after some students were found to have the virus, the city's education board said in a statement.

A total of 255 cases have been detected in Hong Kong, its health department said yesterday.