Efforts to keep MERS at bay

MOH's Reply

Straits Times, 2 Sept 2015

We refer to Dr Quek Koh Choon’s “Review MERS precautions as pilgrimage season approaches Singapore”.

We would like to reassure Dr Quek that the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) have been closely monitoring the situation in Saudi Arabia.

With globalised travel patterns, the possibility of an imported case here cannot be ruled out. Hence, MOH and Muis will continue to work closely  on measures to minimise such a possibility. Muis works with the relevant travel agents to ensure that MOH’s Health Advisory is provided to pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia. Those with pre-existing chronic medical conditions have been advised to consult a doctor before travelling, in order to assess whether making the pilgrimage is medically advisable. These precautionary measures have been put in place for our Haj pilgrims since 2013.

Health advisories are also given to incoming travellers from areas affected by MERS-CoV, as well as for outgoing travellers to those areas. In addition, temperature screening at air checkpoints for passengers arriving from the Middle East has remained in place.

Our hospitals remain vigilant to test for MERS-CoV where clinically indicated, such as patients with serious respiratory illness and a compatible travel history. All suspected and confirmed cases will be isolated and managed under strict airborne infection control precautions. If a case is detected, MOH will conduct contact tracing, and all close contacts will be placed under quarantine.

Our assessment is that the risk of an outbreak here remains low as the occurrence of sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus has not been reported. As such, there is currently no advisory against travel to countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

Lim Bee Khim (Ms)
Director, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health

Zainul Abidin Ibrahim (Mr)
Director, Strategic Engagement
Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis)

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Straits Times, 27 Aug 2015

Review Mers precautions as pilgrimage season

The Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) has re-emerged in Saudi Arabia, with at least 46 individuals infected and one hospital suspending its operations ("Spike in number of Mers cases in Saudi Arabia"; last Saturday).

The annual haj pilgrimage is taking place soon, and many will congregate in large numbers in Saudi Arabia and interact at close quarters.

In the light of the health risks and exposure to our Muslim citizens undertaking the haj, and the possibility of the virus making its way here, the Muslim community and the authorities should raise this concern and evaluate the precautions taken thus far.

Those returning from the haj need to be briefed regarding the possibility of exposure, and precautionary and preventive steps ought to be taken and observed closely.

Those who are vulnerable and have compromised immunity may need to be counselled, and perhaps even a postponement of their pilgrimage can be discussed.

Quek Koh Choon (Dr)