Healthy Me - At Home and Away: June 2009

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Schools worry about manpower issue amid H1N1 spread

By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 30 June 2009 2021 hrs

SINGAPORE: The first day of school on Monday saw an average of 32 students and four teachers from each school sent home as part of measures to break the chain of H1N1 transmission in the community.

If the situation worsens in the coming months, the Ministry of Education (MOE) may close classes and even schools. The risk of community spread has also caused some schools to be concerned about a manpower shortage.

Nan Hua Primary School gave leave of absence on Monday to over 40 staff and students who had returned from H1N1-affected countries within the past week.

Most are expected to return in the next two days and Nan Hua said disruption has been minimal so far. The school added that most of its staff and students had returned to Singapore before June 24.

Students who have to remain at home will continue their lessons through home-based learning packs prepared by the school. Affected teachers may also work from home.

However, Nan Hua's biggest worry is that an H1N1 cluster may still emerge in the school despite its precaution measures and said it is monitoring staff and students for signs of possible infection.

It is also worried about staffing issues, should affected teachers be required to take a long leave of absence.

Lee Hui Feng

Lee Hui Feng, principal, Nan Hua Primary School, said: "When we go into mitigation phase, closure of classes or levels will certainly be one of the possible steps that we will take because with a closure, it will help us look into the key concern of breaking the cluster within the school, as well as the concern about a shortage of manpower."

She said the school is also looking into ways to allow teachers to work from home, through tele-conferencing tools, for instance.

Nan Hua, like many other schools, relies on a pool of relief teachers to conduct lessons when its staff has to take leave from school.

But with many of its relief teachers being university students on vacation, the school may face a shortage of manpower when the new college term begins in a couple of months.

By then, Singapore may well see a sustained community spread of the virus and that is when the school may call upon retired teachers for help.

- CNA/so

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

H1N1 cases rise to 701 in Singapore

Posted: 30 June 2009 1951 hrs

Communicable Disease Centre at Tan Tock Seng hospital in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Singapore has confirmed 72 new H1N1 flu cases, bringing the tally to 701 so far.

The Health Ministry says most cases are mild and to date, 281 patients have fully recovered and the rest are recuperating.

Singaporeans should carry on with their usual activities whilst observing good personal hygiene at all times. If unwell, they should see a doctor, stay away from work, school or crowded places, and rest at home.

Investigations are on-going for the 72 new cases. Of the 64 cases investigated on Tuesday, there were 42 local cases and 22 imported ones.

Of the latest cases investigated, the largest number of new cases was linked to the Republic Polytechnic, bringing the total number of cases there to 77.

Over 1,900 second- and third-year students have signed an online petition calling on the polytechnic to suspend classes, not just for first-year students but for them as well.

The polytechnic said it understands the students' concerns and has also received feedback from them through internal channels although it has not received any petition formally.

The school added that it is monitoring the situation closely and is prepared to take additional measures if required to safeguard the well-being of staff and students.

Another three new H1N1 cases were found linked to an orientation camp at the National University of Singapore, bringing the number of cases in that cluster to seven.

Clementi Camp had two new cases raising the total there to 55, while there was one new case each from the Raffles Institution Boarding School, Butter Factory, Maju Camp and Pulau Tekong Camp clusters.

- CNA/ir

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Hawaii has 1st swine flu death, of ailing patient

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

06/30/2009 | 01:55 PM

HONOLULU — Hawaii is reporting its first swine flu death.

The state Department of Health says an adult over 60 years old with an underlying medical condition died June 19 at Oahu's Tripler Army Medical Center after contracting the H1N1 virus.

Department spokeswoman Janice Okubo said Monday the swine flu was not the patient's primary cause of death, but a secondary cause.

The department isn't releasing further details, including patient's gender or medical ailments, because of federal laws and concerns for the patient's privacy.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there have been 127 swine-flu related deaths in the US as of June 25. More than 27,000 people have contracted the disease across the US. - AP

From GMANews.tv; see the source article here.

FDA says E. coli found in Nestle sample

Image via Wikipedia

06/30/2009 | 01:25 PM

NEW YORK – The Food and Drug Administration said Monday a sample of raw cookie dough collected at a Nestle USA manufacturing plant last week has tested positive for E. coli.

Nestle voluntarily recalled all Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products made at the Danville, Va., factory earlier this month after the FDA told Nestle it suspected consumers may have been exposed to E. coli bacteria after eating the dough raw.

The FDA and the federal Centers for Disease Control have been investigating whether the cookie dough was the source of the E. coli outbreak which has sickened 69 people in 29 states, according to the latest CDC data. E. coli is a potentially deadly germ that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure.

The FDA says the sample of Toll House refrigerated prepackaged dough was manufactured at the plant on Feb. 10.

In a statement, Nestle said the sample that tested positive came from a 16-ounce Toll House refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough bar. The product had a "best before June 10 2009" label.

"We are very concerned about those who have become ill ... and deeply regret that this has occurred," the company said in the statement.

The company also reiterated that consumers can return the recalled products to their local grocer for a full refund.

FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Kwisnek says the FDA is working with the Glendale, Calif.-based unit of Switzerland-based Nestle SA to find the source of the contamination. Nestle said it will continue to work "closely and in full cooperation" with the investigation.

Besides the Toll House products, Nestle also makes a variety of refrigerated pastas and pasta sauces at the plant.

The company shut down production in the cookie dough section of the plant when it issued the recall. That section remains closed, but the company is still manufacturing the pasta and pasta sauces in a separate section of the plant. - AP

From GMANews.tv; see the source article here.

Double trouble

VISION

Seeing two of a kind may be an indication of more serious problems

Eveline Gan, eveline@mediacorp.com.sg

More than meets the eye: Seeing double may point to a neurological problem.

It started with a headache and pain around her left eye. A week later, Mdm K began seeing double images.

"I lay in bed the whole day. I couldn't even watch TV because I would see two of everything," said the 61-year-old homemaker.

She initially thought it was a side effect of her on-off headache and wanted to brush it off. Thankfully, her brother insisted on taking her to the hospital.

A scan revealed that the muscles in her left eye had swelled up. Any delay in treatment would have led to more complications.

Certain benign eye conditions such as astigmatism - caused by an irregularly-shaped cornea - can cause you to see double images. So can extreme fatigue or overindulging in alcohol.

But if you start having double vision out of the blue, or if it keeps recurring, then you have every reason to worry.

According to Dr Wang Jenn Chyuan, senior consultant ophthalmologist and medical director of Nobel Eye and Vision Centre at Mt Alvernia Hospital, any visual problem should be taken seriously as it may be caused by more serious medical conditions.

In fact, double vision, or diplopia in medical lingo, is "almost always" one of the symptoms of a host of neurological disorders, added Dr Nagaendran Kandiah, a consultant neurologist at National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore. They include brain tumours, stroke, and diseases affecting the eye muscle and nerves around the eyes.

Being able to see a single image with two eyes is a complex process that involves the brain, muscles and nerves.

Explaining how healthy eyes work, Dr Wang said: "When a person with normal vision looks at an object, the brain and nerves coordinate the alignment of both eyes. This is so that the two images sent to the brain are perfectly superimposed on each other and he sees only one image."

A neurological or muscle problem can cause the eyes to be misaligned, so each has a different focus. When this happens, explained Dr Nagaendran, the brain will misinterpret the images to be in two different locations, causing you to see double.

A DOUBLE WHAMMY

And as if the discomfort of seeing double images isn't bad enough, patients also often experience headaches with their double vision, as in Mdm K's case.

Dr Nagaendran said that the pain may suggest that there is an inflammation or aneurysm - a ballooning of the arteries - in the brain. Eye pain can also occur if the swollen arteries press on the nerves connected to the eye.

TUNING OUT

Sometimes, double vision which has been ignored for a long time may go away without any treatment. It may mean that your brain has learnt to "suppress" one of the images seen by one of the eyes, said Dr Wang.

"It's the body's way of preventing confusion when the mind perceives two different images."

But don't rejoice too soon.

Suppression of one of the images can result in lazy eye. And in the case of a more serious condition such as a brain tumour or aneurysm, ignoring the problem can lead to blindness or death, Dr Wang warned.

In most cases, treating the underlying medical problem will help resolve the double vision.

"As long as there is no irreversible damage to the nerve or brainstem, most symptoms often go away, either partially or completely, in six to 12 weeks," added Dr Nagaendran.

For Mdm K, the prompt anti-inflammatory treatment she got after being diagnosed helped her to regain normal vision.

From TODAY, Health – Tuesday, 30-Jun-2009

In collaboration with Health Promotion Board

A sign of heart attack?

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

Alicia Wong, alicia@mediacorp.com.sg

EXCESSIVE daytime sleepiness, morning headaches and an inability to concentrate - these may not seem like early warning signs of a heart attack.

But a National University Hospital study found that male patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), who would have these symptoms, are more likely to develop heart attacks.

Two-thirds did not know they had OSA, which refers to complete or partial obstruction of the upper airway during sleep.

This was found after an overnight sleep study of 105 acute heart attack patients, of whom 98 per cent were men. The study was conducted over two to five days between January 2007 and April last year.

"The results were very surprising. This data was never known before in literature," said NUH Heart Centre consultant Ronald Lee.

It is known that OSA patients are more likely to have hypertension, platelet clotting dysfunction and diabetes - which are all in the family of heart disease, he said.

But while previous studies had examined patients with a variety of heart diseases, this study focused solely on Asians who suffered heart attacks.

"The main message ... is that these two conditions go hand-in-hand. Sleep apnea is still a relatively under-diagnosed condition in the community," said Dr Lee.

While patients often think it is an isolated condition, he added, studies have shown that heart disease patients with OSA are more likely to have a recurrence of their heart disease even after ballooning procedures.

Philips Electronics Singapore has also called for more education on the sleep disorder, which affects 15 per cent of Singaporeans.

Its recent study in five countries (Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands) revealed that two-thirds of 2,500 respondents considered snoring, a key symptom of OSA, a minor inconvenience that need not be dealt with.

OSA sufferers also unknowingly stop breathing repeatedly while asleep.

With OSA affecting 13.6 per cent and 4.3 per cent of men and women in Singapore respectively, studies show "this is significantly higher than the Asian prevalence of symptomatic OSA in middle-aged men (4.1 to 7.5 per cent) and women (2.1 to 3.2 per cent)", said Philips in a statement last week.

Singapore Sleep Society president Lim Li Ling said, "Our practical experience suggests that chronic partial-sleep deprivation is common, and sleep apnea is one of the major sleep problems."

Those experiencing symptoms such as heavy snoring, morning headaches and impaired concentration should get checked by a doctor, advised NUH's Dr Lee.

Patients are treated by Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy, which gently pushes air through the nasal passage using a mask. This prevents the airway from collapsing.

"With proper diagnosis and treatment, OSA can be eliminated to greatly improve the quality of sleep and health," noted Dr Khoo See Meng, a consultant at NUH's division of respiratory and critical care medicine. "If untreated, OSA may lead to high blood pressure, heart attack or heart failure."

Separately, the NUH study, which was published this month in Chest, the official journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, found that diabetic patients are three times more prone to OSA. The team is now exploring whether OSA contributes to any long-term negative impact on heart attack patients.

From TODAY, News – Tuesday, 30-Jun-2009

Denmark reports first case of resistance to H1N1 flu treatment

Posted: 30 June 2009 0257 hrs

COPENHAGEN - Danish health officials on Monday reported the first case of resistance to Tamiflu, considered to be the most effective treatment for H1N1 flu by the World Health Organization.

The Danish national is no longer suffering from the illness and is not displaying symptoms, the Danish Institute of Serology said in a statement.

After resisting treatment with Tamiflu, the patient was given another type of medication, Relenza, made by British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline.

- AFP /ls

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Swine flu fears hit Wimbledon as toll hits 70,000

AFP - Tuesday, June 30

A scientist prepares a DNA test for the A(H1N1) virus. Swine flu fears have hit the Wimbledon tennis championships as WHO figures showed global cases leaping past 70,000 while Australian researchers said a vaccine could be ready in months.

LONDON (AFP) - - Swine flu fears hit the Wimbledon tennis championships on Monday as WHO figures showed global cases leaping past 70,000 while Australian researchers said a vaccine could be ready in months.

With the death toll from the pandemic at 311 and total cases at 70,893, according to the WHO, more countries reported their first A(H1N1) infections and Indonesia planned to ask some people arriving there to wear masks.

The worries at Wimbledon came with play intensifying as the tournament entered its second week. Organisers said some staff members have reported "flu-like" symptoms but the competition would continue as normal.

Ian Ritchie, the chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which runs the annual grand slam in southwest London, sent a message to staff to inform them of the situation.

Club sources told AFP that a handful of ball boys and ball girls were affected but nobody had been confirmed as having contracted the virus.

Venus Williams, the defending Wimbledon ladies' singles champion, said she was not worried.

"I just got a letter. I haven't read it. But I guess there are sicknesses all around. Hopefully the players won't get sick," the US tennis champ said.

"Hopefully our immune systems are strong enough. That's what they're there for. We're going to all put ours in use, take vitamin C, keep playing, and call it a day."

More than 4,000 swine flu cases have been diagnosed in Britain, and a hospital said Monday a nine-year-old girl had become the third person with the disease.

The girl had underlying health problems and it was unclear whether swine flu had contributed to her death, Birmingham Children's Hospital said.

Elsewhere, the virus first discovered in late March continued its spread.

According to the World Health Organisation figures released Monday, the United States showed the largest increase in cases, bringing the total to 27,717, including 127 deaths -- but that count may be massively low.

US health authorities said Friday that at least one million people in the United States have had swine flu, or around 50 times more than the number of cases officially reported.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) arrived at its figure based on computer models and surveys of communities known to have been hard hit by the new flu strain.

Some affected countries no longer keep track of all cases, according to the UN health agency, while others do not always report them.

Australian researchers said Monday a swine flu vaccine could be ready in months as the country, the worst-hit in Asia-Pacific, reported two more deaths linked to the virus, taking the total to six.

University of Queensland scientists said they had produced the country's first batch of a vaccine developed in the United States using caterpillar cells.

Researcher Anton Middelberg said the company behind the FluBlok vaccine -- Connecticut-based Protein Sciences Corporation -- planned to run clinical human trials in the United States, Mexico and Australia.

"It all depends on the regulatory process but I'd say we are months away from a swine flu vaccine," Middelberg said.

Highlighting the virus's wide-ranging spread, Nepal, the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius and Kenya all reported their first cases on Monday.

In Indonesia, the health minister said the government planned to ask all those arriving from swine flu-affected countries to wear masks for at least three days.

The presence of the A(H1N1) virus was confirmed in Indonesia only last week and so far four of the eight known cases have been foreigners.

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said the government had no intention of enforcing the precaution, which could seriously damage the country's stuttering tourism industry.

"There'll be no penalty if people don't wear them. You can't expect people to wear masks when they're swimming," Supari said.

From Yahoo! News; see the source article here.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Girl, 9, dies of swine flu as UK cases jump

Image via Wikipedia

June 29, 2009 -- Updated 1922 GMT (0322 HKT)

By Stephanie Busari

CNN

Story Highlights

UK girl, 9, dies of swine flu, doctors say she had an underlying health condition
UK cases jump to more than 5,000 as 558 new cases reported on Monday
A total of 311 people have now died from H1N1 virus, according to latest WHO figures
WHO recently declared the virus had become global pandemic

Children leave a Japanese school in Germany which was closed following a swine flu outbreak.

LONDON, England (CNN) -- A nine-year-old girl has died in Britain from the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, as authorities reported a jump in the number of cases in the country.

The girl is the third person in the UK to die from swine flu, doctors at a children's hospital in Birmingham, England said Monday.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said in a statement: "We can sadly confirm that a child died at Birmingham Children's Hospital on Friday evening.

"The child has since tested positive for swine flu but had other serious underlying health conditions.

"The family have asked for the patient's identity to be kept private and we will not be releasing any further details."

Meanwhile, Six people were sent home from the Glastonbury music festival in south-west England last weekend with suspected swine flu.

558 new cases were confirmed Monday in the West Midlands area, where the girl died.

The UK's Department of Health also announced a big jump in the number of patients in England confirmed with swine flu - up 1,604 since Friday, taking the UK total so far to 5,937.

The latest figures from the World Health Organization show there have now been 311 confirmed deaths around the world from the H1N1 virus first identified in Mexico this spring, and just over 70,000 infections in 113 countries.

In the U.S. swine flu cases have hit the one million mark, since the H1N1 virus emerged nearly three months ago, according to the Center for Disease Control.

The World Health Organization recently declared that swine flu had become a global pandemic -- the organization's first such announcement in more than 40 years.

Increasing the alert to Phase 6 does not mean that the disease is deadlier or more dangerous, only that it has spread to more countries, the WHO said at the time.

The last pandemic was declared in 1968.

The announcement came after a meeting of the WHO's Emergency Committee, which had debated since April whether the spread of a novel H1N1 flu virus was fast and widespread enough to warrant a Phase 6 designation.

From CNN.com; see the source article here.

Arroyo to undergo self-quarantine, Palace exec says

Image via Wikipedia

06/30/2009 | 12:16 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the lifting of swine flu controls by the health department, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde on Monday evening said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo would still observe self-quarantine following her arrival from her 13-day foreign trips.

In an interview with radio dzBB's Louie Garcia, Remonde did not state how many days the Chief Executive will undergo self-quarantine, but he assured that Mrs. Arroyo would be monitored inside a hospital.

"Even sa Hong Kong po bago kami sumakay sa eroplano ay nagdaan din po kami ng thermal scanner, ganoon pa man si Pangulo po, despite the fact na OK naman po minarapat pa rin po niya mag-impose ng self-quarantine ng ilang araw kasama na rin po ang kanyang medical check-up," Remonde said.

[Even before we left Hong Kong we passed through a thermal scanner. And although the President is not ill, she decided to undergo self-quarantine for a few days.]

Based on the health department's new guidelines, travelers arriving in the country will no longer have to observe self quarantine before going to school or work. The DOH said this is part of their shift to mitigation from containment response due to the A(H1N1) outbreak in the country.

Mrs. Arroyo arrived at the Villamor Air Base about 10 p.m. aboard a chartered Philippine Airlines flight PR-001.

Among the places visited by the President were: Tokyo, Los Angeles, Cartagena in Colombia, Pernambuco, Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Hong Kong.

Like the Philippines, those countries also have recorded cases of Influenza A(H1N1).

The President was supposed to arrive home over the weekend but it was rescheduled to Monday after she decided to make a side trip to Hong Kong - an "unannounced" move that was later criticized by militant groups.

They alleged that the President wasted the people's money only to serve her personal interest. Malacañang has since denied the accusation.

Remonde said the country has benefited from Mrs. Arroyo's trips. In fact, he said, she brought home $3-billion in investments.

Remonde, who was in Hong Kong with Mrs. Arroyo, had earlier said that the President was just using all the opportunity she could to promote the interest of the Filipinos.

"We maintain itong mga foreign travels ng Presidente malaking tulong ito sa ekonomiya ng ating bansa in the face of the global economic crisis," he said.

[The President's trip are a big help to our economy in the face of the global economic crisis.]

Remonde also defended the President from bringing several lawmakers to her delegation. He said such was necessary especially for state visits. He also stressed that the lawmakers shouldered their own expenses. - Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV

From GMANews.tv; see the source article here.

500 students at RI Boarding School on leave of absence

By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 29 June 2009 1944 hrs

SINGAPORE: All 500-odd students and 20 teachers at Raffles Institution Boarding School are on Leave of Absence.

This is because a majority of the boarders are foreigners who have been to H1N1-affected countries during the recent school holidays.

Raffles Institution Boarding School has two H1N1 cases, who did not enter the school premises.

They showed symptoms upon arrival in Singapore.

The entire RI campus, with a student population of 4,500, is now segregated into three sections - Junior College, Secondary and Boarding School.

RI said tests and classes were carried out in these segregated groups on Monday to minimise interaction.

All students were also asked to leave immediately after school ended.

Junior college students who are boarders on Leave Of Absence sat for their Common Tests at the boarding school.

RI said it is doing everything it can to ensure the well-being of students by maintaining social distancing and grouping wherever possible.

- CNA/ir

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Over 1,900 Republic Poly students petition for classes to be suspended

By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 29 June 2009 1928 hrs

SINGAPORE: Over 1,900 second and third year students at Republic Polytechnic have signed an online petition for classes to be suspended for all students at least until July 1.

Currently, only first year students have been asked to stay at home and take online lessons until July 1 on the basis that they were the most likely to have come into contact with the students who were infected with the H1N1 virus.

19 new cases linked to the poly were identified on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases there to 49.

One of the petitioning students said they are unable to absent themselves because 50 per cent of their Grade Point Average is dependent on daily marks they receive in class.

The student added that their parents are also worried about the situation.

The polytechnic said it's aware of the petition.

It added that the management will treat it with the same respect and seriousness as it does all official matters. - CNA/vm

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Australia reports two new H1N1-linked deaths

Posted: 29 June 2009 1402 hrs

Passengers wear face masks as a precaution against the deadly H1N1 flu as they arrive at Sydney International Airport

MELBOURNE: Australia on Monday reported two more deaths related to H1N1 flu, taking the total in the worst-hit Asia-Pacific country to six.

The two victims, aged 50 and 85, both had pre-existing medical conditions before contracting the disease, officials said.

"The 50-year-old was being treated for a life-threatening cancer and was later diagnosed" with the A(H1N1) virus, said Rosemary Lester, Victoria state's deputy chief health officer.

"He died while receiving treatment in hospital. The 85-year-old man also had a range of underlying medical conditions and was being treated in hospital. These pre-existing conditions made him more susceptible to any influenza-like illnesses."

Seven people with H1N1 flu have died in Australia, but all had other conditions. The virus was later ruled out as the cause of death in one of the cases.

- AFP/so

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Schools carry out measures to prevent spread of H1N1 flu

By Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 29 June 2009 1400 hrs

SINGAPORE: Students in Singapore returned to local schools on Monday to find full measures in place to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu.

After a month-long break, teachers and students who had travelled to H1N1-affected countries, or those who were unwell, had been told to stay home.

Over at Outram Secondary School, a screening station at the school gates greeted students as they returned for class.

"I have flu. (Question: If you have the flu, why not stay at home?) A bit only...will recover after that," said a student.

Those who displayed flu-like symptoms were isolated from their classmates and sent home.

Students were also required to hand in their travel declaration forms to their teachers.

All classes were also taught lessons on how to be socially responsible and adopt good hygiene habits based on guidelines set out in the Education Ministry's H1N1 education package.

Posters on social responsibility went up around the school and videos on hygiene habits were shown on television screens throughout the school as well.

Similar H1N1 precautionary measures were carried out at Mee Toh Primary School.

Recess was also staggered over four school periods, instead of the previous two, to reduce the risk of infection.

At Nan Hua Primary School at Jalan Lempeng, students were segregated into three batches for staggered recess breaks.

Principal Lee Hui Feng said: "That means each group has about 200 pupils and we try to ensure that when the children gather, there's a gap in between the classes and we shorten the time that they are assembled together. I think the most important thing is the teacher will monitor their health status closely and we also remind students about their personal hygiene."

Some students took the new measures in their stride and were just glad to be back. "I feel very happy coming back to school because I can see my friends," said one chirpy student.

Measures are also in place to ensure staff do not cross-infect one other.

Choy Wai Yin, principal of Outram Secondary School, said: "We're dividing the staff into different teams and there will be different staff rooms for this period of time so that there is minimal mass staff contact with one another and we will always have a functioning team."

The Education Ministry says one to two per cent of all students in Singapore are serving out a Leave Of Absence (LOA) as a precaution.

Outram Secondary School says out of its 950 students, some 30 of them and one teacher are on LOA.

While over at Mee Toh Primary School, there are 29 students and one teacher on LOA.

Some parents Channel NewsAsia spoke to were skeptical about whether measures such as filling up travel declaration forms would work.

One parent, who dropped off his child at Mee Toh Primary School, said: "Whether they will declare it properly, whether they have been to the affected countries, we're not sure. But I think that it's quite right that we have some sort of precautionary measures."

Speaking at an event on Monday morning, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen addressed concerns about whether more schools may be closed, if the situation gets worse.

He said: "I wouldn't paint a doomsday scenario and say 'what if'. For schools, what it does mean is that when we want to prevent big clusters from forming, we have to close down certain classes, certain schools. And we take it a day at a time, a week at a time and we adjust to the situation."

Dr Ng added that although there is no way to stop this pandemic, the current measures aim to slow down the spread of the virus. And he hopes this will help students lead as normal a school life as possible.

- CNA/yt/ir

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Nightclub operators put in place H1N1precautionary measures

By Lynda Hong & Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 29 June 2009 0006 hrs

A night club in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Several nightspot operators have put in place H1N1 precautionary measures.

Nightclub operator Lifebrandz has put up posters updating patrons on the current H1N1 situation at all 10 of its outlets.

Patrons are also given temperature checks and offered hand sanitisers before entering.

Patrons with a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius will not be allowed to enter.

As of Saturday, Lifebrandz has not turned away any patrons.

Several other nightclub operators Channel NewsAsia spoke to said they are carrying out similar measures.

Operators added that they are confident that business will not be affected.

Lifebrandz's CEO, Bernard Lim, said: "We know that this is going to be a long-drawn process - fighting the H1N1 virus.

"So long as everyone is socially responsible and they take care of their own health, maintaining certain level of hygiene, we are quite sure that our patrons will come out and have a good time regardless." - CNA /ls

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

145 new H1N1 cases raise total infected in Singapore to 599

Posted: 28 June 2009 2149 hrs

H1N1 screening by Tan Tock Seng Hospital staff

SINGAPORE: Singapore confirmed 145 new cases of H1N1 on Sunday, bringing the tally to 599.

The Ministry of Health said that though the number of infected cases has increased, the severity of the disease remains relatively mild.

It has advised Singaporeans to carry on with their usual activities whilst observing good personal hygiene at all times.

In addition to these 145 new cases, 77 other cases were pending investigation on Saturday.

Of these 222 cases, 117 have been investigated. They comprise 94 local cases and 23 imported cases. The remaining 105 cases are still being investigated.

The 94 new local cases comprise 19 new cases in the Republic Polytechnic cluster, eight new cases in the Butter Factory cluster, two new cases in the Pulau Tekong cluster and one new case in the Maju Camp cluster.

In addition, there are three new clusters - one from Clementi Camp comprising 43 new cases and two previously unlinked case - one from Police Coast Guard (Brani Base) comprising three new cases and one previously unlinked case, and one from social party comprising one new case and three previously unlinked cases.

- CNA/ir

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Healthy Me - At Home and Away

Amazon Holiday Deals

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Schools worry about manpower issue amid H1N1 spread

H1N1 cases rise to 701 in Singapore

Hawaii has 1st swine flu death, of ailing patient

FDA says E. coli found in Nestle sample

Double trouble

A sign of heart attack?

Denmark reports first case of resistance to H1N1 flu treatment

Swine flu fears hit Wimbledon as toll hits 70,000

Monday, June 29, 2009

Girl, 9, dies of swine flu as UK cases jump

Arroyo to undergo self-quarantine, Palace exec says

500 students at RI Boarding School on leave of absence

Over 1,900 Republic Poly students petition for classes to be suspended

Australia reports two new H1N1-linked deaths

Schools carry out measures to prevent spread of H1N1 flu

Nightclub operators put in place H1N1precautionary measures

145 new H1N1 cases raise total infected in Singapore to 599

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