MANILA - Philippine health authorities said Friday they were searching for 17 passengers who were sitting near the country's first swine flu case on a flight from the United States.

A 10-year-old girl, the first confirmed case of the A(H1N1) virus in the country, flew from the United States to the Philippines earlier this week.

The airline has been asked to provide the manifest and the addresses of 17 people sitting near the girl.

This means those sitting within three rows of the girl, said Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde.

Members of the girl's immediate family are still being closely monitored, he said.

The 10-year-old, whose nationality was not disclosed, arrived in the Philippines with her parents on May 18 but did not develop a fever until the following day.

She has almost recovered but is still under quarantine.

"The patient is recovering well. She has no fever, just a sore throat and the mother, who is the one that is closest in terms of the contact has tested negative for the virus," Villaverde said.

He also said the government would strengthen its monitoring at airports.

But the Health Department said there was no sign of a widespread outbreak and no need to suspend classes, which start in June.

More than 11,000 cases of swine flu and 85 deaths have been recorded worldwide.