A MALAYSIAN permanent resident may be the first Influenza A (H1N1) patient to be infected here, which could signal the start of community transmissions.

The 26-year-old patient has no travel history to a known infected area, and could have come into contact with an earlier confirmed case, the Health Ministry said yesterday, in its 'tentative assessment' that his could be the first case of local transmission.

It said: 'Unless further investigations turn up evidence otherwise, and if more such unlinked cases emerge over the next few days, this would signal the beginning of community spread in Singapore.'

It added that such a stage had not been reached yet, and people should still play their part in trying to contain transmissions by monitoring themselves if they had been to affected countries.

The man, who is the 73rd patient here, flew from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur for work on Sunday morning on Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 108. He developed symptoms that evening, while having dinner in a restaurant. The next day, he attended a conference and went out in the evening. On Tuesday, he went to a doctor, was prescribed paracetamol and antibiotics, and stayed in the hotel for the rest of the day.

He returned to Singapore on Wednesday afternoon on SilkAir Flight MI 335. He was seated in row 19. Once at Changi Airport, he immediately approached the airport staff and was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital by the 993 ambulance.

Prior to this, he had been to Hong Kong from May 28 to June 1, where he stayed well throughout.

He is one of 11 new H1N1 cases diagnosed here yesterday. The others are six Singaporeans, one Filipino who is a PR, and three foreigners from the Philippines, Australia and Canada. All had travelled to affected countries.

There are now 77 confirmed H1N1 cases here. For more information on the flu, visit the Health Ministry website or call its hotline at 1800-333-9999.

LEOW SI WAN