WELLINGTON, July 8, 2009 (AFP) - Two more people have died in New Zealand after contracting swine flu, taking the death toll to five, officials said Wednesday.

Chief Coroner Neil MacLean said a 46-year-old man suffering from influenza A (H1N1) died at his home in the South Island city of Blenheim a week ago.

The exact cause of the death of the man, who had pre-existing medical conditions, had not been determined but it was likely swine flu was a contributing factor, health officials said.

A 49-year-old man, who was thought to have underlying respiratory problems, died at the weekend in Christchurch, MacLean said.

At the weekend, he said it was "strongly probable" that swine flu was a major factor in the deaths of two other men, aged 19 and 42, one of whom had underlying medical conditions.

Another death was reported on Saturday involving a young girl with other medical problems in Wellington Hospital.

The Ministry of Health said Tuesday 53 people had been hospitalised with the virus in New Zealand hospitals, including 12 who were in intensive care.

The total number of confirmed cases of swine flu was 1,272 Wednesday, although only a small proportion of people with flu symptoms were now being tested for the virus, deputy director of health Fran McGrath said.

People with other significant health problems were most likely to be seriously affected by swine flu.

"However, there is growing evidence that some previously healthy people can also develop a more serious illness," she said.