More H1N1 cases at
AYG
More confirmed cases of Influenza A H1N1 have emerged at the
Asian Youth Games village.
Three members of the Hong Kong football team taking part in the
games are the latest confirmed cases.
This after tests conducted by the Ministry of Health last
night.
The Health Ministry had received information from their Hong
Kong counterparts that two players contracted H1N1 and have missed
training since 18th of June.
They remained in Hong Kong and did not travel to Singapore.
The Hong Kong team have been isolated at the games' village
medical room for now.
The team's match with Saudi Arabia at 5pm today is
cancelled.
The three confirmed cases have been sent to Singapore General
Hospital.
In an update on the football player from the Philippines, the
organising commmittee says he's still undergoing medical treatment
at the Communicable Disease Centre, where he is in stable
condition.
The 14-year-old developed flu-like symptoms last Friday, and
tested positive for the virus a day later.
One other Philippines team member had felt unwell and sent to KK
Hospital but he tested negative for H1N1.
He's now back at the Aloha Loyang Resort under quarantine with
the rest of the team.
All these confirmed Hong Kong and Philippines cases were
imported cases.
None caught the virus locally in Singapore.
But the games' organising committee co-chair, Oon Jin Teik says
they are not taking any chances.
"They have activated the standard operating procedures to
isolate the case and so on. Despite confirming these three cases
from the HK team, we are not taking any chances. So in all, there
are 16 athletes, 5 officials, and also two of our liaison officers
who are being taken care of right now."
Chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia's Medical Committee, Dr
Mani Jegatheesan says the immediate strategy is to keep infections
to its lowest by providing timely medical assistance.
He also emphasizes the priority to ensure the health and safety
of the athletes.
This will include stepping up temperature checks and reminding
athletes to maintain their social distance to prevent chances of
infection and community spread.
"This is quite an unusual turn of events that we are dealing
with in organizing a multi-sports games. Now, we have been working
very closely with SAYGOC and with the Singapore health authorities
in monitoring the situation, and we have been in close contact on
all the measures put in place. I think the local authorities have
done everything according to the books. And it is because of the
stringent measures taken, as well as the close vigilance that the
positive cases have been picked up and the appropriate action
taken."
--938Live