By Hasnita Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 June 2009 1803 hrs
H1N1 screening by Tan Tock Seng Hospital staff
SINGAPORE: Singapore is changing its tactics to battle the spread of the H1N1 virus in view of more community transmission.
In gradually shifting the alert level from yellow containment to yellow mitigation phase, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has outlined measures which include the setting up of designated neighbourhood clinics to treat mild cases of H1N1 flu.
The signs have become more prominent – Singapore is now facing a community spread of the H1N1 virus. From just one case of local infection last week, the number now stands at over 20 – or 17 per cent of all cases – and this is expected to rise.
"From the experience in Melbourne and elsewhere, we have crossed the tipping point beyond which local transmissions will grow rapidly. This may well happen this week," said Mr Khaw.
To minimise casualties, Singapore's battle tactics will have to change. For one, contact tracing will be more focused and done on a case-by-case basis.
Contact tracing of passengers who came in contact with confirmed cases in the airplane cabins will be scaled down, but home quarantine for suspect cases, as well as temperature checks at border checkpoints remain useful.
Mr Khaw said one in four cases was picked up by thermal scanners, and with more people getting infected, all public hospitals – not only Tan Tock Seng Hospital and KK Women's and Children's Hospital – are now prepared to handle cases of H1N1.
But to ensure that hospitals are not overloaded with cases, only those with severe health conditions will be hospitalised. The rest will be put on antiviral treatment and quarantined at home.
All polyclinics and a few hundred family clinics – known as Pandemic Preparedness Clinics – will be geared up to treat suspect H1N1 cases as well.
These clinics, which will be distinguished with a decal, will refer only categories of high-risk suspect patients to public hospitals.
Mr Khaw said research has shown that the virus has not mutated so far and remains identical to the virus in North America, so the consensus view is that the virus has remained moderate-risk.
Singaporeans, he said, need not panic even though there is now a community spread. Tamiflu and Relenza remain effective against the disease, and Mr Khaw is confident that almost all infected cases will be able to recover fully.
"But I thought I should explain that moderate risk does not mean no deaths. Just like the seasonal flu, there will be some deaths. That's why we need to target the high-risk patients, especially those with underlying medical conditions, and to render the best chance of a full recovery," said the health minister.
"We need to allow our hospitals to be able to focus on the high-risk cases and not be distracted or overwhelmed by hundreds of mild cases."
Mr Khaw said that for now, there will be no extension of the school holidays. But returning students who have travelled to affected countries will have to stay at home for one week before joining their classmates when schools reopen on Monday.
- CNA/so
From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.
H1N1 screening by Tan Tock Seng Hospital staff SINGAPORE: Singapore is changing its tactics to battle the spread of the H1N1 virus in view of more community transmission.
In gradually shifting the alert level from yellow containment to yellow mitigation phase, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has outlined measures which include the setting up of designated neighbourhood clinics to treat mild cases of H1N1 flu.
The signs have become more prominent – Singapore is now facing a community spread of the H1N1 virus. From just one case of local infection last week, the number now stands at over 20 – or 17 per cent of all cases – and this is expected to rise.
"From the experience in Melbourne and elsewhere, we have crossed the tipping point beyond which local transmissions will grow rapidly. This may well happen this week," said Mr Khaw.
To minimise casualties, Singapore's battle tactics will have to change. For one, contact tracing will be more focused and done on a case-by-case basis.
Contact tracing of passengers who came in contact with confirmed cases in the airplane cabins will be scaled down, but home quarantine for suspect cases, as well as temperature checks at border checkpoints remain useful.
Mr Khaw said one in four cases was picked up by thermal scanners, and with more people getting infected, all public hospitals – not only Tan Tock Seng Hospital and KK Women's and Children's Hospital – are now prepared to handle cases of H1N1.
But to ensure that hospitals are not overloaded with cases, only those with severe health conditions will be hospitalised. The rest will be put on antiviral treatment and quarantined at home.
All polyclinics and a few hundred family clinics – known as Pandemic Preparedness Clinics – will be geared up to treat suspect H1N1 cases as well.
These clinics, which will be distinguished with a decal, will refer only categories of high-risk suspect patients to public hospitals.
Mr Khaw said research has shown that the virus has not mutated so far and remains identical to the virus in North America, so the consensus view is that the virus has remained moderate-risk.
Singaporeans, he said, need not panic even though there is now a community spread. Tamiflu and Relenza remain effective against the disease, and Mr Khaw is confident that almost all infected cases will be able to recover fully.
"But I thought I should explain that moderate risk does not mean no deaths. Just like the seasonal flu, there will be some deaths. That's why we need to target the high-risk patients, especially those with underlying medical conditions, and to render the best chance of a full recovery," said the health minister.
"We need to allow our hospitals to be able to focus on the high-risk cases and not be distracted or overwhelmed by hundreds of mild cases."
Mr Khaw said that for now, there will be no extension of the school holidays. But returning students who have travelled to affected countries will have to stay at home for one week before joining their classmates when schools reopen on Monday.
- CNA/so
From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.
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