PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia - Three new influenza A (H1N1) cases have been confirmed in the country bringing the number of people tested positive for the disease to five since May 15.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said one of them was a 23-year-old male student who travelled home from the United States on Malaysia Airlines' Flight MH091 for a holiday while the other two were German tourists who arrived here from Singapore on board AirAsia's Flight AK702 on Wednesday.

"The student did not have fever when he arrived at the KL International Airport on Monday.

"However, he started showing symptoms when he developed fever and cough on Wednesday," Liow told a press conference here yesterday.

He said that the student, who was undergoing treatment, was in stable condition at the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Seremban.

Liow said the two German tourists, aged 30 and 32, developed fever upon arrival at the LCCT in Sepang.

"They received treatment at the Gleneagles Hospital in Kuala Lumpur and were transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for further treatment and investigation," he said.

Liow said the ministry was tracking those who came in contact with the three patients, including crew members and passengers on the MAS and AirAsia flights, to prevent local transmission of the virus.

"We ask for their cooperation by contacting us at 03-8881 0200 or 03-8881 0300 so that we can give them health advice, including putting them under home quarantine," he said.

There were 276 passengers and crew members on board Flight MH091 but there were no details as to how many passengers were on the AK702 flight.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said that to date, 18 people were under home quarantine after coming in contact with people tested positive for the influenza A (H1N1) virus.