Wellington - New Zealand's Ministry of Health reported Saturday that the number of confirmed cases of infection with the new influenza H1N1 strain in the country had risen by two to seven.

It said the two additional patients were students who returned from a college trip to Mexico and had been previously listed as probable cases.

Both are now well after being quarantined and treated with Tamiflu antiviral medication, officials said.

The ministry is now reporting 12 probable cases while there are 62 more people listed as suspected patients, who are treated in isolation. (dpa)