Hong Kong's Hospital Authority ( HA) announced Monday that two men who have confirmed to have contracted A/H1N1 flu died, bringing the city's total number of A/ H1N1 flu-related deaths this year to four.

The two patients, including a 62-year-old male patient at Tseung Kwan O Hospital and a 53-year-old male patient at Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, succumbed Feb. 6 due to continued deterioration of clinical condition, according to a release late Monday by the Hospital Authority.

A spokesman of the HA said there were four newly confirmed A/ H1N1 flu cases in critical condition over the last two days and all these patients are being treated in the intensive care unit under Tamiflu treatment, with some under ventilation support.

He said as at 2 p.m. Monday, a total of 35 influenza patients are staying in the intensive care unit of public hospitals, including the above four newly confirmed cases.

The HA has recently activated the enhanced monitoring system for severe influenza patients staying at the intensive care unit of public hospitals as the number of flu patients witnessed a significant increase since December.