A young Philippine footballer in Singapore for the Asian Youth Games has caught H1N1 flu, leading his team-mates to be quarantined and matches against the Philippines postponed.

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The Singapore government said a 14-year-old from the Philippines football team developed a fever during a practice session on Friday, but was now in a stable condition. He had arrived on Thursday from Manila with 18 teammates and two coaches.

"The Asian Youth Games will go on. The health and safety of all participants remain our paramount concern," said a spokesman for organiser the Singapore Sports Council.

The Asian Youth Games, which involves around 1,400 teenagers competing in nine sports, are a warm-up for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games that Singapore will host in 2010.

Singapore said there are now 126 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in the city-state. The World Health Organisation, in an update on the spread of the new flu strain on Saturday, said the number of worldwide cases had risen to 44,287, with 180 deaths.

"It may be a matter of time before we see more cases arising from local transmission," the government said in a statement.