8th Confirmed Case of Influenza A (H1N1-2009)

02 Jun 2009

Singapore has confirmed its 8th case of Influenza A (H1N1-2009). The patient is a 15-year-old Singaporean male who is studying in India. He travelled from India to Orlando and Atlanta on a school trip from 17 to 31 May 09. He returned to Singapore from Atlanta via Mumbai on Singapore Airlines SQ421 (Seat 39K) on 1 Jun 09 at 1936hrs. He was feverish during the flight, and his fever was picked up by the thermal scanner at Changi Airport.  He was sent to TTSH via 993 ambulance, and subsequently warded at KKH in the early hours of 2 Jun 09.  Laboratory results confirmed his infection at 1440hrs on 2 Jun 09.

2. Contact tracing of his close contacts are ongoing. Passengers within rows 37 to 41 on SQ421 on 1 Jun 09 who have not been contacted by MOH yet should call the MOH hotline at 1800-333 9999 to enable us to check on their health condition expeditiously.  All close contacts indentified will be quarantined and provided with antiviral prophylaxis.

Contact tracing for previous confirmed cases

3. Contact tracing of all previous cases, except the seventh case involving a 30-year-old Australian male tourist, have been accounted for. All 28 closed contacts of the first case, involving the 22-year-old SMU female student who was in New York from 14- 24 May 09, have discharged their HQOs today and are all well.

4. For the 6th case involving the 36-year-old Singaporean male who was in Manila on a business trip from 18-29 May, MOH has identified 3 close contacts involving the case’s family members. They are currently well and HQOs will be served to them. No flight passengers need to be quarantined as the case only developed onset of symptoms more than 24 hours after disembarkation, and hence the patient was assessed to be non-infectious during the flight.

5. For the 7th case involving the 30-year-old Australian male tourist, contact tracing for flight passengers is still on going. As the case is a foreigner who was sent direct from Changi Airport to TTSH via a 993 ambulance, there were no local contacts. Passengers within rows 52 to 56 on SQ25 on 1 June who have not been contacted by MOH yet should call the MOH hotline at 1800-333 9999 to enable us to check on their health condition expeditiously. 

6. MOH is monitoring the situation closely and will update the public on any new developments. For more information on Influenza A (H1N1-2009), please access MOH’s website at www.moh.gov.sg, call our hotline at 1800-333 9999, or visit www.flu.gov.sg.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH