T

he Bali Health Agency will closely monitor the health status of thousands of Balinese working for foreign cruise lines, to prevent a possible outbreak of the deadly H1N1 flu on the resort island, a top health official said Thursday.

Agency head I Nyoman Sutedja said the period from February to June was the traditional long holiday season for cruise lines employees, with thousands of workers expected to return to Bali to visit their families.

"We've asked the employment agencies responsible for the workers' placement at the cruise line companies to carry out special health checks on the returning workers," he said.

"The employment agencies were told to pay close attention to workers displaying influenza-like symptoms."

Once a worker is identified with the symptoms, the employment agency should immediately notify the health authority, Sutedja added.

"All community health centers *puskesmas* across the island have been told to carry out similar checks and monitoring measures," he said.

"Any individual exhibiting these symptoms will be interviewed by puskesmas staff to determine the possible chain of transmission."

Sutedja pointed out cruise line workers were vulnerable to H1N1 infection due to the ships' frequent stops in North and South America, which have confirmed cases of H1N1 flu.

"A returning worker with flu-like symptoms, accompanied by stomach ache, breathing difficulties and diarrhea, should immediately take Tamiflu, available at the nearest puskesmas," he said.

The health agency has also asked the Bali Tourism Agency to mobilize the island's hotels to implement similar checks and monitoring.

"During a pandemic, human traffic must be closely monitored," Sutedja said.

Bali Employment Agency head A.A. Anom Wartawan said there were currently around 3,000 Balinese working for various cruise line companies.

"The number keeps increasing by the week," he said, adding most of the lines offered cruises to the US and Europe.

Anom admitted it would be difficult to check whether the workers had contracted the flu.

"It's difficult because the workers rarely contact their employment agencies in Bali," he said.

So far, the most stringent checks have been carried out at Ngurah Rai International Airport, which is equipped with thermal scanners and a field hospital.

The field hospital, however, has never been used to treat any H1N1 flu suspects because it is intended only for suspects with severe conditions.