SINGAPORE has confirmed two more cases of Influenza A (H1N1), bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 17.

Both had travelled to Melbourne recently, said the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.

The 16th case is a 40-year-old male foreigner from India who is working in Singapore. He went to Melbourne on 31 May on a business trip and returned to Singapore on SQ238 at 1605hrs on Saturday. He was seated at row 45.

On Sunday morning, he developed symptoms. On Monday around noon, he sought medical attention at a private hospital and was referred to Tan Tock Seng Hospital via a 933 ambulance, and was admitted to CDC in the afternoon. Laboratory results confirmed his infection at on Monday.

The 17th case is a 25-year-old Malaysian female who works as a cabin crew with Singapore Airlines.

She was on holiday in Melbourne and developed symptoms on Friday while she was there. She returned to Singapore on Emirates EK 405 at 2350hrs on Sunday. She was seated at row 32.

She was not picked up by the thermal scanner as she did not have fever then. She went home by taxi from the airport.

On Monday, she consulted a GP in the late morning for a non-flu related medical condition. She was then referred to Tan Tock Seng Hospital via a 993 ambulance and admitted to CDC.

Laboratory results confirmed her infection on Monday.

MOH has initiated contact tracing for both cases.

Passengers within rows 43 to 47 on SQ238 on June 6 and rows 30 to 34 on EK 405 on June 7 who have not been contacted by MOH yet should call its hotline at 1800-333 9999.

All close contacts identified will be quarantined and given antivirals.