Despite Macao's all-out effort to strengthen anti-influenza A (H1N1) measures, it is hard to give 100-percent guarantee that the flu will not spread to the Special Administrative Region (SAR), said the SAR's Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Chui Sai On on Monday.

Macao has prepared sufficient drugs and other anti-flu materials, and all of the prevention measures conform to the requirements of the World Health Organization (WHO), Chui told the press when inspecting the separation zones and quarantine wards of two local hospitals on Monday.

Chui said he felt satisfied with what he had seen in the two hospitals, and the various government departments, public and private medical institutions and medical associations had drawn up an integrated prevention network to fight the flu.

A total of 198 child patients and 74 adult patients with respiratory symptom were reported in the SAR's biggest public hospital, but there was no "possible" or "confirmed" H1N1 cases were detected, according to the figures from the SAR's Health Bureau. The SAR government has also required visitors to declare their health condition in every border checkpoint.

Mexico, the epicentre of the H1N1 flu outbreak, has reported 701 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 26 deaths, according to the WHO. A number of suspected and confirmed cases were also reported in other nations around the world.

(Xinhua News Agency May 5, 2009)