Singapore Zika cases hit 275; new potential cluster at Bishan found
Posted 06 Sep 2016 18:51
Updated 06 Sep 2016 19:07
SINGAPORE: 17 new cases of locally transmitted were confirmed on Tuesday (Sep 6), bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Singapore to 275. Authorities added that there is a potential new cluster at Bishan Street 12, involving a previously reported case and a new case today.
In a joint statement, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) added that of the 17 new cases, 10 are linked to the Aljunied Crescent / Sims Drive / Kallang Way / Paya Lebar Way cluster.
Apart from the Bishan Street 12 case, the other six cases have no known links to any existing cluster.
NEA said it will be carrying out vector control operations and outreach efforts at the new potential cluster at Bishan Street 12.
The agency added that it has been continuing with vector control operations and outreach efforts in Aljunied Crescent, Sims Drive, Paya Lebar Way and Kallang Way, and that it has expanded operations and outreach efforts at the periphery of this cluster at Circuit Road, Geylang East Central, Geylang East Avenue 1.
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Singapore Zika cases hit 283; potential new cluster Elite Terrace
Posted 07 Sep 2016 19:03
Updated 07 Sep 2016 19:40
SINGAPORE: Eight new cases of locally transmitted Zika were confirmed on Wednesday (Sep 7), bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Singapore to 283. Authorities added that there is a potential new cluster in the Elite Terrace area at Siglap, involving a previously reported case and a new case today.
In a joint statement, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) added that, of the eight new cases, two are linked to the Aljunied Crescent / Sims Drive / Kallang Way / Paya Lebar Way cluster, and one is linked to the Bishan Street 12 cluster. The other four cases have no known links to any existing cluster.
NEA said that it will continue with vector control operations in the cluster areas at Aljunied Crescent/ Sims Drive/ Paya Lebar Way/ Kallang Way/ Circuit Road/ Geylang East Central/ Geylang East Avenue 1, as well as cluster areas at Bedok North Avenue, Joo Seng Road, and Bishan Street 12. It will also be carrying out vector control operations and outreach efforts at the potential new cluster at Elite Terrace.
It added that as of September 6, a total of 150 breeding habitats have been found and destroyed in the cluster areas, of which 99 are from homes, and 51 from outdoor areas.
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China offers ‘free screening’ for travellers from Zika-hit countries, including S’pore
Published: 6:12 PM, September 7, 2016
Updated: 6:42 PM, September 7, 2016
BEIJING — China will offer Zika health screenings for travellers from Singapore and other affected countries, the quarantine bureau said on Wednesday (Sept 7), without explaining whether the tests would be compulsory.
China has previously announced that it would step up checks on people and goods from the Singapore, where more than 240 locally transmitted cases of the Zika virus have been confirmed, including in more than 20 Chinese nationals.
Individuals travelling from Singapore and other affected countries who show Zika symptoms should report to quarantine officials when entering China, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement posted on its website.
The administration said all international travel healthcare centres would provide “free Zika screening and tests” to all individuals travelling from countries where local Zika transmission had been confirmed.
It did not say the checks would be mandatory, but required all inspection and quarantine agencies to “strengthen joint prevention and control”.
Chinese international airports are generally equipped with thermal scanners that are capable of screening passengers for fever as they pass through customs.
During past outbreaks, including of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and swine flu, passengers have been required to fill out health declaration forms.
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Zika concerns could test Singapore’s efforts to boost birth rate: Expert
Posted 07 Sep 2016 19:38
SINGAPORE: Singaporean pre-school teacher Siti is determined to try for a baby even as Zika infections spread across the Southeast Asian nation. She just does all she can to avoid mosquito bites.
“I really love kids and want to have one of my own,” the 37-year-old who declined to give her full name said after a procedure at the fertility clinic of KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, the largest facility for women’s health in Singapore. “I’m not postponing my pregnancy plans but I’m taking all precautions I can.”
The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to a spike in microcephaly, a rare birth defect, in Brazil, which has so far been the hardest hit by an outbreak affecting large parts of Latin America. Babies born with the defect have undersized heads and brains. In adults, the virus - which can also be sexually transmitted - has been linked to a rare neurological syndrome called Guillain-Barre.
Economists say concerns about the birth defect could dent the Singapore Government’s efforts to boost the number of babies born to its citizens. The city-state, a major financial hub, has one of the world’s lowest birth rates and a rapidly aging society, while more than a third of its 5.5 million population are foreigners.
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Sims Place is hot spot for Zika and dengue
Published 4 hours ago
Carolyn Khew
Sims Place has the dubious honour of being the only estate in Singapore - so far - that is hosting both dengue and Zika hot spots.
However, an analysis of NEA information shows that there are two other areas where the clusters are near each other.
Sims Place is a dengue cluster and also part of the larger Aljunied Zika cluster. Other areas such as Bedok North Street 3 and Bishan Street 12 have also reported both Zika cases and dengue cases, albeit in different blocks.
According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), there are currently more than 60 active dengue clusters considered “high risk” - having seen reported cases of dengue within the last two weeks.
In its latest update yesterday, the Ministry of Health identified Elite Terrace area in Siglap as a new potential Zika cluster.
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Number of new cases continues to drop
Published 4 hours ago
But potential new cluster in Siglap; eight new Zika cases bring total figure to 283
Linette Lai
The number of new Zika cases continues to fall, with eight fresh ones reported as of noon yesterday, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update last night.
But it detected a potential new cluster in the Elite Terrace area in Siglap, where two people have come down with the mosquito- borne virus. One of them was a new case from yesterday, while another had been picked up earlier on.
In addition to the new case in Elite Terrace, two of yesterday’s cases were linked to the large Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive/Kallang Way/Paya Lebar Way cluster.
One more was linked to the Bishan Street 12 cluster that was detected on Tuesday, while the other four have no known links to any existing cluster.
Yesterday’s update brings the total number of confirmed Zika cases in Singapore to 283 since the first locally transmitted case was diagnosed two Saturdays ago.
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Analysis shows virus strain of locally transmitted Zika cases has been in South-east Asia since 1960s
Published 4 hours ago
Linette Lai
Chew Hui Min
SINGAPORE - The Zika virus strains for locally transmitted cases and that of a case imported from Brazil in May are different, the authorities said on Thursday (Sept 8).
The Zika virus strain found in the recent cases at the Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive cluster is similar to strains of the virus circulating in South-east Asia since the 1960s, it was announced at a briefing by the Ministry of Health’s National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and A*Star’s Bioinformatics Institute (BII) on Thursday.
The virus subsequently spread to French Polynesia in 2013 and to Brazil in 2015, they said.
On the other hand, the virus strain from a case imported to Singapore in May was similar to strains currently found in South America.
While both virus strains are of the Asian lineage, analysis suggests that the locally transmitted virus strain belongs to an earlier varietal, and was not recently imported from South America.
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Insect repellent at community clubs for pregnant women
Published 2 hours ago
Chew Hui Min
SINGAPORE - Pregnant women will be able to get free insect repellents at all community clubs in Singapore from Saturday (Sept 10), said the People’s Association (PA).
This will allow them to quickly get their hands on insect repellents, which are in high demand now, even if retailers run out of stock.
“While we have stepped up our efforts to rally the community to work together to eradicate Zika at source, we also wanted to do more for our mums-to-be. We have quickly worked with the relevant agencies to secure insect repellents for them,” said chief executive director of the PA Ang Hak Seng.
The PA said it has worked with the National Environment Agency and Ministry of Health to secure 30,000 bottles of 30ml travel-sized insect repellents.
Pregnant women who are unable to purchase insect repellents through the retail stores can collect one bottle of repellent spray at any community club.
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New cluster at Ubi Crescent; 292 cases of Zika in Singapore
Published 1 hour ago
Chew Hui Min
SINGAPORE - Another new potential cluster of Zika infection may be forming in the Ubi Crescent area, the authorities said on Thursday (Sept 8).
As of noon on Thursday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed nine new cases of locally transmitted Zika. With the new cases, the number of cases in Singapore has reached 292.
One more case was linked to Bishan Street 12, and one to Elite Terrace, which was highlighted as a potential cluster on Wednesday.
There are now three cases at Elite Terrace and four at Bishan Street 12.
Four were linked to the Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive/Kallang Way/Paya Lebar Way cluster.
Two cases have no known links to any existing cluster, MOH said.
The ninth case is linked to the potential new cluster in Ubi Crescent. Including two earlier cases, there are now three linked to the industrial area in Eunos.
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Number of Zika cases nears 300, potential new cluster in Ubi Crescent
Published: 7:08 PM, September 8, 2016
SINGAPORE — There were nine new cases of locally transmitted Zika infections recorded as of noon on Thursday (Sept 8), bringing the total number to 292, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a statement.
In addition, there is a potential new cluster in the Ubi Crescent area. involving two previously reported cases and a new one.
Of the nine new cases, four are linked to the Aljunied Crescent/ Sims Drive/ Kallang Way/ Paya Lebar Way cluster, one is linked to the Bishan Street 12 cluster, and another is linked to the Elite Terrace cluster discovered on Wednesday.
The NEA has said that it will be carrying out vector control operations and outreach efforts at Ubi Crescent. It will also continue with vector control operations and outreach efforts in existing clusters
As of Wednesday, a total of 166 breeding habitats have been found and destroyed in the cluster areas, of which 108 are from homes, and 58 from outdoor areas, added the NEA.
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