SINGAPORE, June 22, 2009 (AFP) - Singapore on Monday quarantined 17 members of the Hong Kong youth football team after three players tested positive for swine flu ahead of a regional sports event.

A Singapore sports official said 13 players, two coaches, a physiologist and a team official were placed under quarantine, while the three players found infected with the A(H1N1) virus will be brought to a hospital treating swine flu victims..

The move came after Singapore authorities at the weekend quarantined 19 members of the Philippine football team here to participate in the Asian Youth Games when one player tested positive for swine flu.

Oo Jin Teik, chief executive of the Singapore Sports Council, said football games involving the Philippines and Hong Kong had been cancelled until further notice.

He said that "at this point" the Asian Youth Games will go on as scheduled from June 29 to July 7 but another official said safety would be their key priority.

"As far as the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is concerned, as far as the organisers are concerned, our prime objective is to ensure the safety and security and health of all the participants," said Mani Jegathesan, chairman of the OCA medical committee.

"If at any time we find that there is evidence that this is endangered, we will take the appropriate action."

The games involve some 1,400 athletes from 45 countries.

Although they officially start on June 29, football eliminations began Saturday.

Singapore's health minister said the city-state now has a total of 168 cases of swine flu.