NO HUMAN cases of swine flu has been reported in Singapore as of Tuesday night, even as the Ministry of Health elevated the pandemic alert level from green to yellow.

The epidemic entered a new phase on Tuesday with more than 16 countries reporting confirmed or suspected infections. The change to a higher phase indicates that there is sustained human-to-human transmission, capable of causing community-level outbreaks.

WORKERS should continue to brace themselves for tough times ahead as the global economy has yet to hit the bottom and more layoffs are likely, labour chief Lim Swee Say has said.

In a sombre May Day message this year, he said that the battle against the economic downturn 'is far from over'.

MEXICO CITY - THE swine flu crisis deepened on Tuesday, with at least 16 countries far beyond worst-hit Mexico, including in Europe and Asia, reporting confirmed or suspected infections.

South Korea reported one probable case, while Australia and New Zealand reported more than 100 suspected infections, a day after the World Health Organization warned of a significant increase in the risk of a pandemic.

THE global airline and travel sectors battened down the hatches on Tuesday for a possible swine flu pandemic which could deal another blow to two industries already reeling from the economic crisis.

As images of people wearing face masks in public resurrected grim memories of the Sars health scare in 2003, analysts appealed for calm, saying it was too early to speculate on the impact of the new threat.