Zika has arrived in Singapore

[skyleon]

Six Johor entry points ramp up Zika screening
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Published: 10:30 AM, August 31, 2016

SINGAPORE — Six entry points into Johor are stepping up health screening after the detection of the Zika virus here.

The Johor Health and Environment committee has deployed extra teams from the state’s health and immigration departments to work around the clock at the six locations conducting checks, according to The Star on Wednesday (Aug 31).

The six entry points affected by the enhanced checks are Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex, Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ, Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Johor Port, Stulang Laut Ferry Terminal and Puteri Harbour Ferry Terminal.

Johor Health and Environment committee chairman Ayub Rahmat said on Tuesday that “visitors entering or exiting via any of the six entry points will have to pass a screening device to check their body temperature”.

Those registering a body temperature of above 37°C will have to undergo a health examination, he added.


continue reading here : http://www.todayonline.com/world/asi...zika-screening

[skyleon]

Zika outbreak a concern but remain calm, says Amy Khor

By

Tan Weizhen
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Published: 6:30 PM, August 31, 2016

Updated: 6:53 PM, August 31, 2016

SINGAPORE — The increase in the number of confirmed Zika cases is cause for concern, but the public should remain calm and go about their daily activities as usual, said Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources and Health Amy Khor.

Noting that cases are likely to continue to emerge, Dr Khor acknowledged that fighting Zika is challenging simply because of the high volume of travel in and out of Singapore, but Singapore has been able to manage the spread of dengue — which can have more serious symptoms than Zika — and chikungunya using the same mosquito population control strategies which are being used for Zika now.

“I know that Singaporeans understandably will become more concerned when we announce new cases, I want to take this opportunity to urge everyone including pregnant women to stay calm. Take the necessary precautions then we can go on our normal daily activities,” she said.

Dr Khor was speaking during a visit to Block 121 Paya Lebar Way on Wednesday (Aug 31) morning, where National Environment Agency (NEA) operations were underway to clamp down on mosquito breeding.

Since confirmed cases of Zika emerged the Kallang Way and Paya Lebar way areas on Tuesday — five of the newly-diagnosed cases on Tuesday live or work in these areas — the NEA has begun inspecting premises and public spaces in this area, as well as carry out fogging and misting. More than 60 per cent of over 1,000 premises in both areas have been checked, shared Dr Khor on Wednesday.


continue reading here : http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...-says-amy-khor

[badboys]

Singapore so small how to 'siam' Train travel almost whole island.

[johnn]

.....
latest bedok north ave 3.
chanel news asia.
its spreading

[samster101]

I stay in aljunied. Jia lat.....

[skyleon]

First case of pregnant woman with Zika in Singapore; potential new cluster at Bedok North Ave 3

MOH also identified another potential Zika cluster at Bedok North Avenue 3, on Aug 31, 2016.
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Published 11 hours ago


Chew Hui Min

Linette Lai

Yeo Sam Jo

SINGAPORE - A pregnant woman is among another 24 cases of Zika infections confirmed as of noon on Wednesday (Aug 31).

The pregnant patient lives in the Aljunied area. A member of her household had earlier been diagnosed with Zika.

Doctors are following up closely with her and are monitoring the development of the baby, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a briefing on Wednesday night.

It is unlikely that a member of the woman's household infected her or vice versa, because the symptoms emerged around the same time, health experts said at the briefing.

While 22 of the new cases are from the existing cluster at Aljunied, two have no known links to the affected areas of Sims Drive, Aljunied Crescent, Paya Lebar Way and Kallang Way.

One case lives in Joo Seng Road while another lives at Punggol Way.

There is also a new potential cluster at Bedok North Avenue 3, MOH said. The three cases there were diagnosed on Tuesday.



continue reading here : http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...-potential-new

[skyleon]

Virus spreads beyond Aljunied area


NEA will start vector control operations in Bedok North Avenue 3, where there are over 6,000 premises to be inspected. The agency said officers may have to enter homes by force if home owners do not respond to notices.

Published 4 hours ago

Chew Hui Min

Yeo Sam Jo

Three Zika patients living in Bedok North Avenue 3 may constitute a new cluster of infection, indicating the spread of the virus beyond the Aljunied area.

Of the three individuals, who were diagnosed on Tuesday, one works in the Aljunied Crescent and Sims Drive area, where the first locally transmitted instances of Zika were diagnosed.

Two others have no known links to the area, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a press briefing yesterday.

The news has rattled Bedok residents like Ms Ng Hui Wei.

"I'm definitely worried. My sister just got married. She lives nearby in Jalan Tenaga and comes home to visit," said Ms Ng, 30, late last night.

MOH also confirmed two new cases in areas previously not known to be affected. One is a resident in Joo Seng Road, a stone's throw from Kallang Way, while another lives in Punggol Way.

Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong warned that more cases will come from other parts of the island.

"Over time, we expect Zika cases to emerge from more areas. We must work and plan on the basis that there is Zika transmission in other parts of Singapore," he said in a joint statement from MOH and the National Environment Agency (NEA) last night.

Operations to control the breeding of mosquitoes will be extended beyond the current areas. NEA will start vector control operations in Bedok North Avenue 3, where there are more than 6,000 premises to be inspected.

Officers from the agency may have to enter homes by force if home owners do not respond to notices, NEA said.

continue reading here : http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...-aljunied-area

[skyleon]

Companies take precautions to keep workers safe

Published5 hours ago

Jalelah Abu Baker

Rachel Oh

Company fund for mosquito repellents and patches - check.

Advisory to employees to pack their lunches and eat in the sanctuary of the office - check.

Businesses in the Kallang Way industrial estate are taking steps to protect their workers in the wake of news that it is one of two new spots where Zika patients live or work.

On Tuesday, the authorities confirmed 26 more cases of locally transmitted Zika infections; five of them are based in Paya Lebar Way and Kallang Way.

Ms Jessica Chiah, 43, a senior indoor sales manager from engineering firm Te Deum, told The Straits Times yesterday that her employer told her to use company money to buy mosquito repellents and patches for employees.

She added that she immediately checked on her 26-year-old colleague, who is three months pregnant. "I asked her to take care by wearing mosquito patches, and explained how the virus affects unborn babies," she said.


continue reading here : http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...p-workers-safe

[skyleon]

Lifetime immunity after infection

Published 5 hours ago


Zika is a new infectious disease of great concern to many people, especially as not very much is known about it. AskST shares answers to some questions that people are asking about the disease.

Q Can a person get Zika many times, like we can with dengue? Or does getting infected once confer immunity?

A One infection should confer lifetime immunity against the disease, said Professor Leo Yee Sin, a senior infectious diseases consultant at the Communicable Disease Centre.

Q In that case, should young couples try to get infected so they do not get the disease when they want to raise a family?

A Prof Leo said that while this may sound logical, not enough is known about the disease to advise this course of action.


continue reading here : http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...fter-infection

[skyleon]

Expectant mums take precautions

Published 5 hours ago


Olivia Ho

Ms Norashikin Baharul Hisham is keeping all the windows in her flat shut, even though it gets stuffy.

The 31-year-old housewife, who is five months pregnant, is afraid of letting in mosquitoes which carry the Zika virus.

The Ministry of Health said yesterday a pregnant woman living in the cluster around Sims Drive and Aljunied Crescent had been infected. But expectant mothers everywhere are fretting, even those who do not live near the affected areas.

Zika is associated with microcephaly in unborn babies, a birth defect in which they are born with abnormally small heads.

Ms Norashikin, who lives in a Bukit Batok rental flat, tries not to go out in the day and keeps her windows shut against the Aedes mosquito, which spreads the virus.


continue reading here : http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...ke-precautions

[skyleon]

Made-in-Singapore kit can test for 3 viruses, including Zika, in 2 hours

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Published 5 hours ago


Costing a few dollars to produce, it has drawn keen global interest

Carolyn Khew

Scientists in Singapore have developed a kit that can test for the dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses all at the same time in a matter of two hours.

Now ready for use, the kit costs only a few dollars to produce and has attracted interest from other countries and even the World Health Organisation (WHO), said Dr Masafumi Inoue, a senior research scientist at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*Star) Experimental Therapeutics Centre who is part of the team that developed the kit.

The made-in-Singapore kit is among others that the WHO is interested in testing, he said.

He added that he is currently compiling clinical data for the health authority before sending the kit over for testing. If successful, it could be used by the WHO to test for the viruses.

The three mosquito-borne viruses here cause similar symptoms such as rashes and joint pain. Symptoms for the Zika virus are generally mild and go away within a week.

"It is important to quickly distinguish between the three major (and prevalent) mosquito-borne viruses here... This will not only lessen the mental stress on the patient and give the patient peace of mind, but also ensure that he or she can receive the appropriate sort of treatment and care without delay," said Dr Inoue.


continue reading here : http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...s-in-two-hours

[skyleon]

Originally Posted by samster101

I stay in aljunied. Jia lat.....

Take precautions as advised by the MOH and NEA . If you see a mosquito just killed it . Please stay safe and healthy . If unwell go see doctor . Cannot go Geylang already .

[newyorker88]

Not sure if AV will raid Geylang for ILLEGAL FLs, since sex can transmit Zika. All brothers please be careful.

[StraitsTimes]

First case of Zika reported in Malaysia.

[Kexu]

Originally Posted by newyorker88

Not sure if AV will raid Geylang for ILLEGAL FLs, since sex can transmit Zika. All brothers please be careful.

Be careful of what ? Zika or AV or both ?