WORRY overcame Ms Teti Hidayati, 24, when the doctor said she had tested positive for the Influenza A (H1N1) virus.

She had had a high fever, severe body aches and a cold that week - the usual symptoms of a flu - but fear gripped her because she was pregnant, and her doctor said the virus could be harmful to her baby.

The H1N1 virus is known to cause complications to people in 'high-risk' groups - those who are pregnant, are elderly or who have existing health problems.

The young woman, who has since recovered after a week in hospital, is two months into her second pregnancy. Doctors say her baby is fine.

She came down with flu-like symptoms two weeks ago but continued working at her family's printing business in Kampung Glam because they were short-handed.

'I just took an aspirin and slept when I got home, because that's what I usually do when I'm sick. I don't like to see the doctor,' said Ms Teti, who came here from Indonesia when she married a Singaporean.

The next day, she felt worse and at 10pm, decided to go to the KK Women's & Children's Hospital's 24-hour clinic.

Other than a trip to Johor Baru two weeks before, she had not travelled anywhere else.

'Something told me this was not a normal flu, but I still did not think I had H1N1,' she said in Bahasa Indonesia.

She was admitted into the hospital and tested for H1N1. The following day, she was told she had the virus.

'I was very worried at first but I couldn't do anything about it,' she said.

Over the next week in hospital, she was given Tamiflu and medication for her cough; her baby's heartbeat was checked daily.

Her fever subsided on Day 2 but she continued to test positive for the virus the rest of the week.

On the eighth day, the test came up negative, and she was discharged.

'I was so relieved to get out of there and finally see my family,' she said.

So far, nobody in her family has caught the virus, although her year-old daughter had a false alarm.

The toddler came down with a fever just after Ms Teti returned home, but tested negative for H1N1 at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Ms Teti said she is now more careful about hygiene: 'I clean my house more often and my hands as well.

'I also avoid crowded places and if I have to, I wear a mask. It's better to be safe.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.