The number of confirmed cases of swine flu in New Zealand has risen by two to 19 .
The two new confirmed cases were reported by Wellington's Regional Public Health overnight, with both cases having arrived in New Zealand from Los Angeles on May 31.
The pair became unwell after travelling together, the Ministry of Health reported today.
Swabs were taken from both on Sunday, and they and their close contacts were being treated with Tamiflu and had been asked to stay at home in isolation.
The confirmed cases have occurred in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Hawke's Bay. Most of them have recovered.
The number of probable cases was 11, up from 10 yesterday, and there were 161 people in isolation or quarantine and being treated with Tamiflu, up from 92 yesterday.
Among the suspected swine flu cases are a group of 16 Gisborne Boys' High School students who recently returned from a trip to Brisbane.
The 16 were isolated in a classroom today and were able to go home this evening, after five exhibited flu-like symptoms.
Public Health staff have taken swabs and the ones who have viral symptoms were to be prescribed a course of Tamiflu.
Meanwhile, The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) said today employers should be prepared to take responsibility for the costs of workplace exposure to swine flu after a predicted increase in cases.
EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said quarantine came with significant costs to workers and that those costs should be met by their employers if the exposure was work-related.
"There can be a significant cost to a worker when they are quarantined, ranging from loss of allowances to not being able to work their second job and we believe that cost should be paid by the employer if the quarantine is the result of workplace exposure," Mr Little said.
"We are currently following up on four cases in which EPMU members have been quarantined following workplace exposure and are not being properly compensated for the losses they are incurring as a result."
