THREE more people were screened for the new flu strain yesterday, and one more traveller was quarantined.

The developments came even as the Health Ministry plans to lower the flu pandemic alert level here next week.

Results of tests to check if the trio have contracted the new Influenza A (H1N1) strain are pending.

All 29 other people who developed flu symptoms within seven days of returning from affected countries have been cleared.

Of these, 25 had not caught any Influenza A virus, while four with the virus had caught the usual seasonal strains, not the new strain.

No one here has been infected by the new flu strain so far.

To keep it so, a Singaporean who returned from Mexico was served a home quarantine order yesterday, bringing the total number of people who have been confined to 13 - seven Singaporeans and six foreigners.

Of these, two Singaporeans and two foreigners will be able to venture out from today, joining two other foreigners whose quarantines were lifted at the end of Wednesday.

This leaves just seven to serve out their orders, sequestered in their homes or government chalets, until the end of a week from the time they left Mexico.

Only three people, who came from Mexico before the quarantine was put in place on Monday, are still being monitored by phone by the Health Ministry.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.