By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 June 2009 1617 hrs
A man walks under banners displaying the Asian Youth Games in Singapore.
SINGAPORE: A member of the Philippines football team, now in Singapore for the inaugural Asian Youth Games (AYG), has been confirmed to be infected with the H1N1 virus.
Organisers said the team arrived in Singapore on Thursday and a routine temperature check on Friday found the 14-year-old athlete running a fever.
He sought attention at the Games Village Medical Centre and was placed in an isolation room.
Lab results confirmed his H1N1 infection on Saturday morning and he was admitted to the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC).
The CDC said the football player is in a stable condition and that this is a likely case of an imported infection.
Organisers said all matches involving the Philippines football team will be postponed but the AYG will proceed.
The inaugural AYG will officially open in Singapore on 29 June.
But the preliminary rounds of the football competition started on Saturday, with the first match being the one between Philippines and Chinese Taipei.
Following the H1N1 case involving the athlete from the Philippines football team, that match has been postponed till further notice.
Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said: "The discovery today - the Philippines football team (member) has H1N1 - in a sense, is an anticipated event. Fortunately for us, we have.....contingency plans.
"The bottom line is that the Games will go on. But we will do it safely. The plans are in place. And in fact, what happened today, I think, it's proof that things are working and that plans are robust.
"As time goes by, as the week evolves, the plan will similarly have to evolve with time, but we will cross that bridge one step at a time."
A total of 20 members of the Philippines football team are now quarantined at the Aloha Resort. They comprise: 17 players, two team officials and one doctor.
They will be quarantined for seven days starting 19 June. The test result of the Singapore liaison officer who was sent to the CDC for observation showed that he is not infected by H1N1.
Organisers said the health and safety of all participants will continue to be of paramount concern.
- CNA/ir
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