Health Minister says no need now for aggressive response
ESTHER NG, estherng@mediacorp.com.sg
EVEN though the risk of exposure to the H1N1 virus is now higher, with four confirmed cases in Singapore, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan is adamant that there is currently no need for aggressive health measures.
Referring to the quarantine of a hotel and ship — measures taken by Hong Kong and Australia, respectively, he asked: "Is it necessary? Is it scientifically based?"
Instead, Mr Khaw, who was updating the media on Friday on H1N1 developments, called for a "rational and scientific approach to fighting this virus" rather than an "emotional, or worse — politicised approach to this problem — which will cause plenty of inconvenience (and) frighten everybody".
Given the high volume of travellers between Singapore and the United States, more cases are expected to surface in Singapore. Most of the H1N1 cases detected in the region so far have been travellers who had arrived from the US.
Indeed, Mr Khaw urged Singaporeans to be "mentally prepared" that the virus is already in the community. "It doesn't matter whether it's community spread, or imported cases. The key point is the nature of the virus. Is the virus lethal, or just like ordinary influenza virus?"
Unless the virus mutates into a deadly strain, there is no cause for alarm, he said.
"If it can be established scientifically that the virus remains mild here, not unlike seasonal flu, that'll give us confidence to reduce the control measures," he said.
Measures such as contact tracing and home quarantine may then be unnecessary.
Singapore's flu alert level remained at "Yellow" on Friday, but the status will change according to how the virus mutates.
"If you have sufficient scientific evidence to give us the confidence that this is just like seasonal flu, then it will be Green … But if instead, bad luck, the virus mutates in a strange way in Singapore and becomes lethal, then of course it becomes 'Orange'. So we will see," Mr Khaw said.
The Health Minister pointed out that there are Singaporeans with more serious illnesses than H1N1 and the ministry has to prioritise its resources.
"We're Ministry of Health (MOH) for all patients, not just Ministry of Health for H1N1 patients," he said.
General Practitioner Kevin Chua agreed with the Health Minister, saying: "Seasonal flu has killed more people that H1N1. I would encourage people to get their flu shots." He urged Singaporeans to be vigilant about personal hygiene.
Mr Khaw said the Health Ministry would be working with the Genome Institute of Singapore to map out the H1N1 virus from local samples. The study will serve three purposes.
"One, to ascertain that the virus here is identical to what is spreading outside, which I think will definitely be the case, since the cases are all imported," he said.
"The second purpose is to check whether the virus is mutating, which I think is normal for a virus to mutate and evolve. And the third objective is to see how the virus is mutating," he added.
On the four H1N1 cases in Singapore, Mr Khaw said the symptoms have been mild, like most of the cases outside Mexico. The four, who had arrived here on different flights from the US, are being treated in the Communicable Diseases Centre. They are in stable condition and their recovery should be "uneventful", he added.
Meanwhile, MOH is continuing with contact tracing. Of the 122 passengers on the three flights who are close contacts of the latest three confirmed cases, half or 61 passengers entered Singapore. MOH has contacted 18 of them and they have been served home quarantine orders.
Travellers coming to Singapore from affected areas should call 993 if they develop a fever, instead of making their own way to Tan Tock Seng Hospital by public or private transport, said an MOH spokesperson.
From TODAYOnline.com; see the source article here.
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