Seoul, Aug 18 - The South Korean health ministry has confirmed 47 new cases of swine flu, raising the number of cases of the virus affected to 2,212 in the country, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, a total of 522 people remained in isolation for treatment at home or in hospital, with most of the other patients having made full recoveries, the ministry said in a statement.

Two South Koreans had died of swine over the weekend. Till date 1,500 people have died of swine flu worldwide, the report said.

The infection rate is feared to rise after students living abroad would return home for vacations. Nearly half of the total infections in the country involved inbound travellers. The government said it will stock sufficient vaccines to tackle the situation.