SINGAPORE has confirmed on Wednesday 82 new cases of H1N1 flu, bringing the total tally to 783 confirmed cases.

Investigations are on-going for the 97 new cases, said the Health Ministry in a statement.

Of the 57 cases investigated on Tuesday, there were 41 local cases and 16 imported cases.

Fortunately so far, most cases of H1N1 flu are mild and self-limiting.

To date, 300 patients have fully recovered and the rest are recuperating.

In the meantime, MOH is making the transition to the mitigation phase to allow patients with flu-like symptoms to see doctors at the polyclinics or pandemic preparedness clinics.

These physicians will then make the preliminary assessment. There would be no more need to call 993 for the special ambulance.

MOH said only severely ill or high-risk patients will be tested for the H1N1 flu virus and hospitalised if needed.

Those with mild symptoms may be sent home and prescribed anti-viral drugs, if necessary.

Doctors will exercise clinical judgment in prescribing anti-virals on a case by case basis, taking into account patients' risk of developing influenza related complications, prevalence of H1N1 in our community and after weighing the risks and benefits of treatment.

Depending on the severity of their illness and other risk factors, patients may be referred to the hospital for further management, said MOH. The hospitals will increasingly focus on managing more complex cases.

MOH said during this transition stage, hospitals have used their clinical discretion to selectively test patients for H1N1 flu only when required for clinical management (e.g. severely ill patients) and/or in situations where it will be of significant public health importance.

Cases that are assessed to be very mild cases are not hospitalised but placed on home quarantine orders.

Laboratory testing for the virus is not necessary before the start of treatment. So there no need for GPs to send all suspected cases to hospital for testing, added MOH.