Personal data of 5,400 AXA Singapore customers exposed in cyberattack

Personal data of 5,400 AXA Singapore customers exposed in cyberattack

07 Sep 2017 07:54PM (Updated: 07 Sep 2017 09:36PM)

SINGAPORE: The personal data of 5,400 AXA Insurance customers in Singapore was compromised in a cyberattack, according to an email the firm sent to affected customers.

In the email shared with Channel NewsAsia on Thursday (Sep 7), AXA data protection officer Eric Lelyon wrote that the stolen data included the email addresses, mobile numbers, insurance policy numbers and dates of birth of both past and present customers from its Our Health Portal.

No other personal data - such as the name, NRIC number, address, credit card, bank details, health status, claims history or marital status of customers - was stolen, he added.

Mr Lelyon wrote that "no further action" was required from affected customers as the information that was compromised was "not likely to, on its own, expose you to identity theft".

He warned customers, however, to be vigilant against phishing attempts for other personal details that could be linked to the cyber attack.

"In the unlikely event you feel that you may have inadvertently disclosed personal data as a result of a phishing attempt in the last few months, it is possible that this could be connected to this hacking incident, and if so, we urge you to file a police report. We also request that you reach out to us to let us know the details," Mr Lelyon wrote.

The French insurance company is taking the incident "very seriously" and has "taken all remedial actions to secure our Health Portal and to prevent a recurrence", he stated.

The firm has also filed a police report and is working closely with authorities, he added.

"We apologise to all our customers impacted by this incident. We wish to assure our customers that our Health Portal is now secure," said CEO of AXA Singapore, Jean Drouffe in a statement. "A thorough review of our IT systems is underway."

He added that most of the affected customers have been notified and that all remaining affected customers will be informed by Friday.

In response to Channel NewsAsia's queries, a spokesperson from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said the authority has asked AXA to "initiate a thorough review of its IT security and to remediate control gaps".

"We understand that AXA has taken steps to address the vulnerability in its Health Portal. MAS takes a serious view of this incident and is investigating the matter," the spokesperson added.

Last year, the personal data of 7,794 Aviva policyholders and their dependents was also breached when a printing firm hired by the insurance company sent out erroneous annual premium statements. The firm, Toh-Shi Printing Singapore, was fined S$25,000 by the Personal Data Protection Commission Singapore.

Source: CNA/mz
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/personal-data-of-5-400-axa-singapore-customers-exposed-in-9194674




- wong chee tat :)

Manic malware Mayhem spreads through Linux, FreeBSD web servers

Manic malware Mayhem spreads through Linux, FreeBSD web servers
And how Google could cripple infection rate in a second

By Iain Thomson, 18 Jul 2014

Malware dubbed Mayhem is spreading through Linux and FreeBSD web servers, researchers say. The software nasty uses a grab bag of plugins to cause mischief, and infects systems that are not up to date with security patches.

Andrej Kovalev, Konstantin Ostrashkevich and Evgeny Sidorov, who work at Russian internet portal Yandex, discovered the malware targeting *nix servers. They traced transmissions from compromised computers to two command and control (C&C) servers. So far they have found 1,400 machines that have fallen to the code, with potentially thousands more to come.

"In the *nix world, autoupdate technologies aren't widely used, especially in comparison with desktops and smartphones. The vast majority of web masters and system administrators have to update their software manually and test that their infrastructure works correctly," the trio wrote in a technical report for Virus Bulletin.

"For ordinary websites, serious maintenance is quite expensive and often webmasters don't have an opportunity to do it. This means it is easy for hackers to find vulnerable web servers and to use such servers in their botnets."

Mayhem spreads by finding servers hosting websites with a remote file inclusion (RFI) vulnerability – it even uses Google's /humans.txt to test for this. If the ad giant rewrote this file, specifically changing the words "we can shake", Mayhem infections would be slowed – until its rfiscan.so plugin is updated.

Once the malware exploits an RFI, or some other weakness, to run a PHP script on a victim, it drops a shared object called libworker.so onto the infected system and pings its C&C servers.

It then creates a hidden file system, usually called sd0, and downloads eight plugins, none of which were picked up by the VirusTotal malware scanning tool.

These include a couple of brute-force password crackers targeting FTP, Wordpress and Joomla accounts – presumably to spread the malware further – and information-gathering web crawlers, one of which hunts for other sites with RFI holes.


Some of the vulnerable web applications Mayhem scans for ... click for slightly larger version (Credit: Kovalev, Otrashkevich, Sidorov)
The Yandex trio warn there may be other plugins in circulation, based on data found on the two cracked C&C servers. These include a tool specifically to exploit systems that haven't patched the Heartbleed vulnerability in OpenSSL.

The team notes that the Mayhem code does bear several similarities to the Trololo_mod and Effusion families of malware, which target Apache and Nginx servers respectively. They recommend system administrators check their servers to make sure Mayhem's spread is limited. ®



- wong chee tat :)

Singapore’s telecom networks resilient: IDA

Singapore’s telecom networks resilient: IDA

    By Kimberly Spykerman
    POSTED: 23 Oct 2013 18:28

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) said there is resiliency in Singapore's telecommunication networks, with back-ups.

SINGAPORE: The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) said there is resiliency in Singapore's telecommunication networks, with back-ups.

Concerns were raised following a fire at SingTel's Bukit Panjang Exchange earlier this month, which crippled some essential services.

But IDA said even with network resiliency, incidents can happen due to human error or software malfunction.

IDA said its regulatory frameworks ensure operators invest in resiliency, especially for key services.

But it will review lessons learnt from the incident to see if certain areas can be further improved to enhance network resiliency -- for example, faster recovery procedures.

- CNA/nd

- wong chee tat :)

IDA urges telcos to focus on restoring all services

IDA urges telcos to focus on restoring all services

By Monica Kotwani
POSTED: 16 Oct 2013 21:44

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has urged local telcos to work together to restore all services affected by SingTel's Bukit Panjang Exchange fire on October 9.

SINGAPORE: The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has urged local telcos to work together to restore all services affected by SingTel's Bukit Panjang Exchange fire on October 9.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, IDA said it had written to SingTel, StarHub and M1 to focus their efforts on identifying problems their end users may still be experiencing.

It said the telcos should resolve them immediately, rather than "issuing statements to assign blame, as this is neither helpful nor constructive".

The regulatory authority added it has started its own investigations to determine the cause and circumstances of the fire, which damaged fibre cable lines and caused disruptions to services islandwide.

IDA said the investigations would identify measures that need to be taken to prevent such incidents from recurring.

It would also assess whether service providers have taken "all necessary action to restore the affected services as quickly as possible", and if current processes are effective in bringing about speedy service recovery.

Also on Wednesday, SingTel announced it has formed its own Board Committee of Inquiry to look into the Bukit Panjang Exchange fire.

It will consist of three independent SingTel board members, and use "leading global experts to draw on international best practices".

Meanwhile, M1 and StarHub provided an update on the number of their affected fibre broadband subscribers.

M1 said the number of affected customers is down to some 100, from 200 on Tuesday.

StarHub said "a small number" of its subscribers in Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang and Woodlands are still unable to access the Internet.

Both are working with OpenNet to restore services.

- CNA/gn

- wong chee tat :)

S'pore govt unveils plans to boost infocomm and media industry

Yahoo! Newsroom – 3 hours ago

• 
  (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) - Consumers can expect faster Wi-Fi access from Wireless@SG from April onwards.

Faster free public Wi-Fi network access islandwide.

Digital free-to-air television channels by the end of the year.

Over S$182 million in budget more for locally-produced programmes on culture and heritage.

These were among the wide-ranging plans to boost the info comm and media infrastructure announced by Minister for Communications and Information (MCI) Yaacob Ibrahim in Parliament on Friday.

Wi-Fi speeds on Wireless@SG will be bumped on from 1Mbps to a maximum 2Mbps from next month.

"IDA will enhance our national wireless infrastructure by expanding the capacity and speed of Wireless@SG," said the Minister during the debate on the recently unveiled Budget.

Aside from faster speeds, the login process for Wireless@SG will also be simplified from next April with users only needing to log-in once instead of repeated sign-ins currently. This will be possible because

"This will complement our mobile networks and allow subscribers to more seamlessly shift from 3G/4G networks to Wireless@SG," said Dr Yaacob.

Turning to the media industry, free-to-air channels 5, 8, Suria and Vasantham will begin broadcasting in hi-definition by the end of the year. Other channels like Octo would do so only in 2016.

By April, consumer labels to identify digital TV sets will be available on televisions and separate set-top boxes.

The Media Development Authority (MDA) will ensure low income and the elderly will also benefit from this.

Dr Yaacob also said the MCI is still reviewing their media convergence plan and are looking at these areas: content regulation, encouraging local content, copyrights and licensing framework.
Regarding local content, Dr Yaacob said it would devote another S$182 million to increase the quality and quantity of public service broadcast (PSB) programmes over the next four years to focus on local heritage and culture. 
This amount is on top of a S$630 million budget that had been earmarked for public service programmes earlier in July 2012, spread across five years till 2016.

- wong chee tat :)

Aljunied-Hougang town council could have asked for service extension: IT firm

Aljunied-Hougang town council could have asked for service extension: IT firm
Posted: 17 December 2012 2303 hrs
     
SINGAPORE: The company which provided the computer and financial systems to Aljunied-Hougang town council, has spoken up on its termination of services for the council.

Last Friday, the Aljunied-Hougang town council said the termination was one reason its corporate governance audit was delayed.

In a letter to the media, Action Information Management Pte Ltd (AIM) said it had extended its services to the town council twice, in August and September last year.

AIM's chairman S Chandra Das said the company would have agreed to a further extension, if the town council had requested for it.

When contacted, council chairman Sylvia Lim said they understood that no further extensions would be forthcoming at the time.

She also questioned why AIM terminated its services in the first place.

- CNA/lp

- wong chee tat :)

S'pore will grow between 1.5% and 2.5% this year: MAS

S'pore will grow between 1.5% and 2.5% this year: MAS
Posted: 30 October 2012 1241 hrs
     
SINGAPORE: Singapore is likely to see lacklustre economic growth and elevated inflation for the second consecutive year in 2013, said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Gross domestic product (GDP) growth "is likely to be positive though below-trend next year", the central bank said in its half-yearly macroeconomic review, adding that weakness in Europe and the slowdown in China will weigh on external-oriented sectors such as manufacturing.

As a result, MAS sees growth in the advanced economies subdued "for a protracted period as painful deleveraging continues", even as a muted recovery is envisaged for Asia ex-Japan.

But domestic-oriented sectors are set to remain resilient. This will provide support to Singapore's labour market, which should remain at close to full employment next year.

For 2012, the central bank is sticking to its projection that Singapore will grow between 1.5 and 2.5 per cent, down from 4.9 per cent last year and below the economy's growth trend of 3 to 5 per cent.

Singapore continues to face a short-term cyclical downturn in the macro economy as domestic restructuring policies are implemented, said the MAS.

In particular, trade-related activities, the IT cluster, and regionally exposed services have been most badly affected by the cyclical downturn.

On a bright note, domestic-oriented activities have been a key pillar of support, contributing almost 70 per cent of the growth in the first half of 2012 despite accounting for only a third of Singapore's GDP.

MAS also said that it is "important for medium-term restructuring in the domestic economy to proceed even as Singapore faces short-term cyclical headwinds".

Domestic restructuring, which saw the tightening of foreign worker policies, boosted demand for resident workers in the low- and mid-skilled segments, especially in domestic industries like construction and services.

This pushed up wages and added pressure to domestic costs, said MAS. It added that unit labour costs could rise by as much as 3 to 4 per cent in 2013, following the 4 to 5 per cent increase this year.

Higher business costs could be absorbed by firms through lower profit margins in the short term, but there may be some pass through to consumers.

MAS said that this sequential increase in core prices "while unlikely to reach the high in early 2012, is expected to pick up".

Core inflation, which excludes accommodation and private road transport, will likely stay above its long-term average at 2.5 per cent this year, and 2 to 3 per cent in 2013.

CPI-all items inflation is likely to slightly exceed the government's forecast of 4.0 to 4.5 per cent this year, and ease to the 3.5 to 4.5 per cent range next year.

- CNA/al


- wong chee tat :)

S'pore workers can expect 3% salary rise next year: survey

S'pore workers can expect 3% salary rise next year: survey
By 938LIVE | Posted: 05 November 2009 1333 hrs

SINGAPORE: Employees in Singapore can expect salary increases of three per cent next year. That is up from this year's two per cent, said outplacement firm, ECA International.

Its latest Salary Trends Survey said within the region, salary increases remain highest in China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Pay rises will be lowest in Japan.

ECA International's regional director for Asia, Lee Quane, said Singapore's forecast pay increases, like Hong Kong and Taiwan's, are lower than the regional average.

This is due to the fact that these are developed economies with low inflation rates.

The survey found that salary increases within the region are predicted to average at five per cent in 2010, almost twice as high as this year.

Mr Quane said these forecasts are an indicator that companies operating within the region are much more confident about economic conditions than a year ago.

They suggest that many employers are actively making up for the fact that employees typically experienced little or no salary increase this year.

- 938LIVE/vm

- wong chee tat :)

Why pretty women like ugly men...

My friend emailed this 2008 article to me a few days ago. 

Why pretty women like ugly men...

Jhoomur Bose / ibnlive.com
TimePublished on Tue, Mar 04, 2008 at 08:46 in Lifestyle section


Has anyone noticed how weddings and common cold are similar? Both are contagious and seem to be affected by weather change. Nothing else explains how suddenly most people one knows are either sniffling or sending out wedding invites. It could also be the biological clock.

The first announcement was sitting in my inbox with the subject line jubilantly declaring, “I am getting married people!” A week back the same friend was single and mingling. Before one could react to that news, another friend called and declared she had a marriage proposal and was “seriously thinking” about it. Again, in a week from having no suitors she was suddenly thinking matrimony.

In the course of describing how their sudden decision to tie the knot had come about, both friends declared, “I am very happy. But the guy is not very good looking,” and then somewhat defensively, “but he’s a sweetheart.” Congratulations later and having seen their to-be spouse’s pictures, one realized that both girls – despite being downright stunning to look at – were marrying men who were rather plain. It reminded one of an old adage, “Langoor ke moonh mein angoor.”

Now a recent study by Columbia University suggested that good-looking people prefer to date equally good-looking people, at times even people who are better looking than themselves. Yet here were two of my very good-looking friends settling for rather plain men.

It’s not just my friends either. Many celeb couples too seem to follow the norm of pretty-woman-average-bloke: Ajay Devgan-Kajol, Azharuddin-Sangeeta Bijlani, Priyanka Gandhi-Robert Vadra, SRK-Gauri Khan (he wasn’t a superstar then!), Juhi Chawla-Jai Mehta… Since these were all love marriages one could perhaps say love perhaps is blind. Both my friends however are going in for arranged marriages and love is nowhere in the picture.

Jog your memories dear readers and tell me, how many times have you heard someone comment, “She is not pretty at all, how did she manage such a hot husband?” Or the other way round, “Look at him, he’s not good looking at all, how did he get himself such a beautiful wife?”

Several conversations and some research later one found that indeed the popularly held belief was: Ugly (or not-so-good-looking) men bag the prettiest girls. But is it really true?

Before you read further, tell us what you think:

1. How important are looks when it comes to finding a suitable partner?

2. Do good-looking people have better chances of finding love or a spouse?

3. ‘Plain’ people have good-looking partners: Myth or reality?

NEXT PAGE >>> What’s HE got that I ain’t got?

It’s no secret that most matrimonial ads, especially for girls, will read thus: ‘Good looking girl, well-educated, homely, working, etc.” Even ads for boys today – after mentioning ‘earns in six figures’ – will say how he is tall, good looking, etc. Given that pictures exchanged in the arranged marriage scenario are mostly professionally shot, it’s a case of showing your son/daughter/yourself in the best possible “light”. And then of course there is Photoshop.

How important are looks when it comes to falling in love or finding a life partner and how does one ensure not being left behind single? When it comes to responding to good looks, many a research has proven that other than some cultural differences, most people react to a similar set of signals or criterion.

From the symmetry of faces (which means symmetrical, cute babies), the size of the hips (a low waist-hip ratio means more fertile women), how another person smells and the facial features (‘feminine’ women and ‘masculine’ men have more chances of ‘mating’), there are some standard things that most people find attractive. And most of them have to do with eventual reproductive ability and how good a dad/mom you will make.

However, when you are looking at dating someone or catching an interesting prospect’s eye at the office party, you are hopefully not thinking babies instantly. If we keep marriage aside for the time being: What makes some ‘plain’ men and women more of a hit with the opposite sex?

In a quick survey amongst friends and colleagues, 57 per cent of those polled said that plain people score more with the opposite sex because they don’t rely only on their looks and usually have other qualities going for them. Like using their brains or their sense of humour.

“He makes me laugh” is something many women list as one of the most desirable traits in a man. “He likes me for who I am,” is another one, which basically means you don’t go comparing your woman to a swimsuit calendar model or some such thing. Some women said that a plain looking man treats women better than a good-looking one. Why? “Because a plain looker doesn’t think he is God’s gift to womankind,” replied one girl.

Then there could be other not-so-pleasant reasons too… No woman, pretty or otherwise wants to think that her man will stray. In such a scenario a man’s lack of looks can at times become insurance against his cheating on a woman. It is also thought that since good looking people will probably too full of themselves – both men and women – they will not have time for another person in their life.

Of course when it comes to marriage and making babies, we’re talking a different ball game.

NEXT PAGE >>> It’s neither love nor is it looks…

To start with, most researches and surveys say that men lay more importance on their partner’s looks even if the said man is not as good looking himself. Women on the other hand look for stability and the qualities in a man that can give her that stability.

A 2007 research by Thomas Pollet and Daniel Nettle of Newcastle University that was published in the journal Biology Letters says that in the marriage market it’s a man’s riches and not his looks that are the most important criterion. To put it simply: He who provides, gets the pretty bride. Does that mean that a really ugly but rich man can get a beautiful wife? Yes, if you look at cases like the VERY rich Donald Trump and Melania Knauss. But that doesn’t mean the plain guys have no chance…

“Have a big car, make her laugh, spend money on her and anyone can win over any woman,” jokes a hit-with-chicks male friend has to say who doesn’t even have a big car. “Look pretty all the time, talk smart only when he wants you to and laugh at all his jokes,” smirks a lady friend who makes men go weak in the knees has to say. Neither of them is good looking. Yet both of them seem to have some characteristics in common: Both can talk well, dress up smartly, have a sense of humour and are very confident.

It’s the same with marriage: It’s not about not about the looks as anyone with a little common sense will tell you looks don’t last, gravity always gets its way. Of course some will argue that in today’s age of medical and technological advancement, looks can be ‘upgraded’ or changed. However, not everyone can afford to do a Demi Moore at 43 years of age: She allegedly paid a whopping $ 420000 and even got her knees fixed.

To make a marriage last it takes more than looks: It takes patience, understanding, mutual respect for each other and a willingness to look past (some) faults and irritating habits. It also takes a fair bit of compromise and even a willingness to share your money. And these basics are the same whether you are good looking or not. Once the looks fade, you’ve got to make the other things work.


- wong chee tat :)

2 more deaths bring H1N1-related fatalities in S'pore to 3

2 more deaths bring H1N1-related fatalities in S'pore to 3
Posted: 22 July 2009


SINGAPORE: Two patients died on Wednesday, bringing the total number of H1N1-related deaths in Singapore to three.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said a 13-year-old boy, who was admitted to National University Hospital's Paediatric ICU on Sunday, died on Wednesday morning. He had epilepsy and the cause of death was due to prolonged seizures, with H1N1 as a contributing factor.

The second H1N1-related death on Wednesday was a 55-year-old man. He was admitted to Changi General Hospital's ICU last Saturday. The MOH said the cause of his death was severe pneumonia with advanced motor neuron disease and underlying H1N1.

Singapore's first H1N1-related death was a 49-year-old man with severe heart disease and multiple health problems. He died from a heart attack with H1N1 infection on July 18.

Meanwhile, one more H1N1 patient was admitted into ICU on Wednesday. She is a 42-year-old foreigner with a history of hypertension and who is overweight.

She sought treatment at Tan Tock Seng Hospital's Emergency Department, after suffering three days of shortness of breath. She was found to have low oxygen saturation and low blood pressure.

The MOH has been reminding people in the high-risk groups who develop flu-like symptoms to seek medical treatment early.

Elsewhere, a 42-year-old woman with hypertension and thyroid disease - who was admitted to Changi General Hospital's ICU on July 18 - remains in critical condition.

A 46-year-old foreigner with hypertension and kidney disease on dialysis, who was admitted to Mount Elizabeth's ICU on July 20, is in stable condition.

Also in stable condition is a 51-year-old woman with asthma. She was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital's ICU on July 20.

Of the three patients in Singapore General Hospital's ICU, one has been transferred to the general ward. The other two who are still in the ICU are in stable condition.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan had said more people in Singapore were expected to be infected with H1N1 as the transmission peaks within the next one to two weeks.

Recent data showed that more than half of all flu cases in Singapore were H1N1 positive.

- CNA/ir

- wong chee tat :)

Tamiflu-resistant swine flu patient found in Japan: govt

Tamiflu-resistant swine flu patient found in Japan: govt

July 2nd, 2009

A genetic mutation of swine flu that is resistant to the anti-viral Tamiflu has been discovered in Japan, the first such case in the country, the health ministry said.

It was the second reported case of Tamiflu resistance linked to swine flu in less than a week.

The latest case was found in a patient who had been given the drug since first being diagnosed with A(H1N1) around two weeks ago, Kyodo news agency reported Thursday, citing the Health, Welfare and Labour Ministry.

The patient -- a woman in Osaka prefecture -- was recovering after having been given Ralenza, an alternative anti-flu medication, the report said.

A spokeswoman for Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Roche, which makes Tamiflu, said the company had been informed of the case and called it "normal."

"It is absolutely normal," she said, adding that "0.4 percent of adults develop resistance" to Tamiflu.

She said the case does not indicate Tamiflu has become less effective against swine flu.

Danish authorities announced earlier this week they had discovered resistance to Tamiflu in a female patient. Ralenza was also used successfully to treat her.

According to the latest World Health Organization figures, Japan has 1,266 reported cases of swine flu, but has so far recorded no fatalities.

(c) 2009 AFP

- wong chee tat :)

Nightclub operators put in place H1N1 precautionary measures

Nightclub operators put in place H1N1 precautionary measures
By Lynda Hong & Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 29 June 2009 0006 hrs


SINGAPORE : Several nightspot operators have put in place H1N1 precautionary measures.

Nightclub operator Lifebrandz has put up posters updating patrons on the current H1N1 situation at all 10 of its outlets.

Patrons are also given temperature checks and offered hand sanitisers before entering.

Patrons with a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius will not be allowed to enter.

As of Saturday, Lifebrandz has not turned away any patrons.

Several other nightclub operators Channel NewsAsia spoke to said they are carrying out similar measures.

Operators added that they are confident that business will not be affected.

Lifebrandz's CEO, Bernard Lim, said: "We know that this is going to be a long-drawn process - fighting the H1N1 virus.

"So long as everyone is socially responsible and they take care of their own health, maintaining certain level of hygiene, we are quite sure that our patrons will come out and have a good time regardless."

- CNA /ls

- wong chee tat :)

Schools carry out measures to prevent spread of H1N1 flu

Schools carry out measures to prevent spread of H1N1 flu
By Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 29 June 2009 1400 hrs


SINGAPORE: Students in Singapore returned to local schools on Monday to find full measures in place to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu.

After a month-long break, teachers and students who had travelled to H1N1-affected countries, or those who were unwell, had been told to stay home.

Over at Outram Secondary School, a screening station at the school gates greeted students as they returned for class.

"I have flu. (Question: If you have the flu, why not stay at home?) A bit only...will recover after that," said a student.

Those who displayed flu-like symptoms were isolated from their classmates and sent home.

Students were also required to hand in their travel declaration forms to their teachers.

All classes were also taught lessons on how to be socially responsible and adopt good hygiene habits based on guidelines set out in the Education Ministry's H1N1 education package.

Posters on social responsibility went up around the school and videos on hygiene habits were shown on television screens throughout the school as well.

Similar H1N1 precautionary measures were carried out at Mee Toh Primary School.

Recess was also staggered over four school periods, instead of the previous two, to reduce the risk of infection.

At Nan Hua Primary School at Jalan Lempeng, students were segregated into three batches for staggered recess breaks.

Principal Lee Hui Feng said: "That means each group has about 200 pupils and we try to ensure that when the children gather, there's a gap in between the classes and we shorten the time that they are assembled together. I think the most important thing is the teacher will monitor their health status closely and we also remind students about their personal hygiene."

Some students took the new measures in their stride and were just glad to be back. "I feel very happy coming back to school because I can see my friends," said one chirpy student.

Measures are also in place to ensure staff do not cross-infect one other.

Choy Wai Yin, principal of Outram Secondary School, said: "We're dividing the staff into different teams and there will be different staff rooms for this period of time so that there is minimal mass staff contact with one another and we will always have a functioning team."

The Education Ministry says one to two per cent of all students in Singapore are serving out a Leave Of Absence (LOA) as a precaution.

Outram Secondary School says out of its 950 students, some 30 of them and one teacher are on LOA.

While over at Mee Toh Primary School, there are 29 students and one teacher on LOA.

Some parents Channel NewsAsia spoke to were skeptical about whether measures such as filling up travel declaration forms would work.

One parent, who dropped off his child at Mee Toh Primary School, said: "Whether they will declare it properly, whether they have been to the affected countries, we're not sure. But I think that it's quite right that we have some sort of precautionary measures."

Speaking at an event on Monday morning, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen addressed concerns about whether more schools may be closed, if the situation gets worse.

He said: "I wouldn't paint a doomsday scenario and say 'what if'. For schools, what it does mean is that when we want to prevent big clusters from forming, we have to close down certain classes, certain schools. And we take it a day at a time, a week at a time and we adjust to the situation."

Dr Ng added that although there is no way to stop this pandemic, the current measures aim to slow down the spread of the virus. And he hopes this will help students lead as normal a school life as possible.


- CNA/yt/ir

- wong chee tat :)

500 students at RI Boarding School on leave of absence

500 students at RI Boarding School on leave of absence
By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 29 June 2009 1944 hrs


SINGAPORE: All 500-odd students and 20 teachers at Raffles Institution Boarding School are on Leave of Absence.

This is because a majority of the boarders are foreigners who have been to H1N1-affected countries during the recent school holidays.

Raffles Institution Boarding School has two H1N1 cases, who did not enter the school premises.

They showed symptoms upon arrival in Singapore.

The entire RI campus, with a student population of 4,500, is now segregated into three sections - Junior College, Secondary and Boarding School.

RI said tests and classes were carried out in these segregated groups on Monday to minimise interaction.

All students were also asked to leave immediately after school ended.

Junior college students who are boarders on Leave Of Absence sat for their Common Tests at the boarding school.

RI said it is doing everything it can to ensure the well-being of students by maintaining social distancing and grouping wherever possible.

- CNA/ir

- wong chee tat :)

30 new H1N1 cases raise total in Singapore to 629

30 new H1N1 cases raise total in Singapore to 629
Posted: 29 June 2009 2151 hrs

	•

SINGAPORE: Singapore has confirmed 30 new cases of H1N1 flu, bringing the total to 629 so far.

According to the Health Ministry, 246 patients have fully recovered while the rest are in stable condition.

Together with 105 cases pending investigation on Sunday, 71 have been investigated - comprising 58 local cases and 13 imported ones.

A new cluster has surfaced, comprising three Raffles Institution Boarding School students who have just returned from affected countries.

The greatest number of new cases registered on Monday, however, came from the Republic Polytechnic. It has 17 new cases, bringing the total in the cluster to 66.

There were eight new cases at Clementi Camp, which now has 53 cases.

Maju Camp has three new ones, bringing the total there to 22.

At the Police Coast Guard's Brani Base, one new case brings the total there to five.

- CNA/ir

- wong chee tat :)

Singapore confirms another 16 new H1N1 cases

Singapore confirms another 16 new H1N1 cases
By Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 June 2009 0040 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore has confirmed another 16 new cases of H1N1.

Seven are local and nine has travel history, bringing the total number of H1N1 cases in Singapore to 142.

A third cluster of locally-infected cases has also been identified at popular nightclub Butter Factory at One Fullerton.

The new case is a 19-year-old Singaporean female student. She visited the club on June 17 when three previously reported cases were also there.

The Health Ministry has advised all those who had visited Butter Factory on June 17 to monitor their health and seek medical attention if they feel unwell.

The other new cases include two additional ones from the Riverlife Church cluster.

One is a 20-year-old Singaporean female student who attended a church function on June 13, while the other is a 12-year-old Singaporean boy who is a cousin to an earlier case in the cluster.

There were also three new cases with no travel history and no known contact with confirmed cases.

One is a 22-year-old Singaporean female student who participated in a church camp at Prince George's Park from June 15 to 18.

Another is a 21-year-old National Serviceman based at Clementi Police Station.

There was also another local case, a 22-year-old Malaysian man, who is a colleague of a previously confirmed case.

The nine imported cases include three Singaporeans, two Permanent Residents and four foreigners (a Filippino, a Malaysian, an Australian and an Indonesian. They had travelled to Australia, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Indonesia.

Contact tracing is underway. - CNA/de

- wong chee tat :)

H1N1 flu death toll in US, Canada reaches 100

H1N1 flu death toll in US, Canada reaches 100
Posted: 20 June 2009 1301 hrs

WASHINGTON: Figures released Friday by US and Canadian health authorities show that the H1N1 flu pandemic has killed 100 people in Canada and the United States.

Eighty-seven people died from the disease in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control reported, adding that there were 21,449 confirmed cases.

The figures are a jump from the previous report on June 12, when 44 people were reported dead and 17,855 cases were confirmed.

In Canada, the world's third most affected country, health authorities reported a 13th death and 5,710 confirmed cases of A(H1N1) flu.

In Mexico, where the flu strain was first spotted, authorities reported 113 killed by the disease and the number of confirmed infections at more than 7,000.

The most recent World Health Organization data, out Thursday, showed that the H1N1 flu has infected nearly 40,000 people around the world in 89 countries and territories, causing 167 deaths since late March.

Some affected countries no longer keep track of all cases according to the UN health agency, while others do not report for each of the thrice-weekly bulletins.

- AFP/yb

The H1N1 is getting out of control!

- wong chee tat :)

IDA investing S$20m to help IT grads and professionals

IDA investing S$20m to help IT grads and professionals
By Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 16 June 2009 1116 hrs

SINGAPORE: The Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) is investing S$20 million to help IT graduates and professionals stay employed during the current recession.

The money will be spent on two new programmes – iTAP (Infocomm Training and Attachment Programme) and iLEAD (Infocomm Leadership and Development Programme) – which are expected to benefit 1,000 people over the next two years.

iTAP offers attachment opportunities for fresh IT graduates and professionals at MNCs, local companies and start-ups.

Under iLEAD, IDA will work with the infocomm industry to prepare a pool of professionals for new growth areas through internships and specialised courses.

Acting Minister for Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew gave these details at the official opening of Infocomm Media Business Exchange (imbX) 2009 on Tuesday morning.

He also announced that the Wireless@SG programme, which was launched in 2006, to complement connectivity in the home and office, will be enhanced and extended for another four years till March 2013.

The enhancements include improvements to access speeds of up to 1 Mbps, using a new seamless log-in process.

More services over Wireless@SG, such as cashless payments, location-based and facility-monitoring services, will also be introduced.


- CNA/so

- wong chee tat :)

Kaspersky: no personal information lifted during web hack

Kaspersky: no personal information lifted during web hack

- wong chee tat :)