Influenza A/H1N1 may cause severe impact on tourism, aviation and other industries in Asia, ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda warned on Saturday.

The judgment is made upon experience from SARS and avian flu, but it is difficult to make an assessment of the impact at this stage, Kuroda said at a press briefing.

But once the problems faded away, the regional economy would recover quite quickly, he said.

Hong Kong reported the first confirmed case of Influenza A/H1N1infection in the city on Friday, prompting authorities to immediately raise the flu alert level from serious to the highest level of emergency. It is also the first confirmed case in Asia.

"At this moment, Asia is not so much affected by the influenza, but there are too many uncertainties right now," the President said.

ADB is ready to provide any necessary financial and technical assistance to any country in need, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2009)