Senior Minister of State for Health Lam Pin Min has spoken out about the ongoing Wuhan pneumonia crisis that is spreading through China and neighbouring countries, the latest of which to be hit is South Korea:
In a Facebook post on Monday evening, he announced that the Ministry of Health has moved to implement temperature screenings and issue health advisories to all travellers arriving in Singapore from China, starting Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Lam added that the ministry is "closely monitoring" the spread of the coronavirus pneumonia to various parts of China as well as other countries like Thailand and Japan.
Additionally, individuals with pneumonia and travel history to Wuhan within 14 days before the onset of symptoms will be isolated in hospital as a precautionary measure to prevent transmission, and investigated.
The ministry said in a release that as a travel hub, it expects to see more suspect cases surfacing:
"To date, there have been no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus reported in Singapore. However, given that Singapore is a travel hub, we expect to see more suspect cases, and cannot rule out the possibility of imported cases. Once a case is confirmed, contact tracing will be initiated, and we will implement strict isolation, quarantine, and infection control and prevention measures to prevent further transmission."
Lam also added the following health precautions to Singaporeans travelling to China:
· Avoid contact with live animals including poultry and birds, and consumption of raw and undercooked meats;
· Avoid close contact with people who are unwell or showing symptoms of illness;
· Observe good personal hygiene;
· Practise frequent hand washing with soap;
· Wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms such as a cough or runny nose;
· Cover your mouth with a tissue paper when coughing or sneezing, and dispose the soiled tissue paper in the rubbish bin immediately; and
· Seek medical attention promptly if you are feeling unwell.
He also urged travellers going to Wuhan to monitor their health closely and seek prompt medical attention should they be feeling unwell, and also to inform their doctors of their travel history.
You can read Lam's post in full here:
Related articles:
Top photos via Lam Pin Min's Facebook page