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SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has elevated Singapore's alert level from "green" to "yellow" to guard against swine flu.
It said this is to better brace the country to handle situations where there may be isolated imported cases but no sustained local transmission.
MOH said: "The World Health Organisation had raised the pandemic alert phase for the swine flu outbreaks from Phase 3 to Phase 4. The change to a higher phase indicates that there is sustained human-to-human transmission, capable of causing community-level outbreaks.
"This increases the risk of a pandemic. In line with this, MOH will also be elevating our alert level from green to yellow."
While there has been no known cases of human swine flu in Singapore, 17 cases have been referred for further medical assessment. 16 have been referred to the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) and one case was seen at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
Four - including the two on Monday and the SGH case - have tested negative so far for Influenza A, the virus type associated with swine flu. Most of the other new cases are Singaporeans who have recently returned from the United States.
According to the MOH, cases seen at the CDC and in the other hospitals will undergo a preliminary test for Influenza A. This preliminary test result will be available within a day, but confirmation of the swine influenza strain will take up to seven days.
The heightened alert level means hospitals will be restricting inter-hospital movement of patients and staff, except in emergencies.
Other additional measures in hospitals include donning full personal protective equipment, rescheduling elective admissions, cutting down visitors to patients, and recording of contact particulars of visitors.
MOH has also stocked up about 1.15 million courses of Tamiflu and 50,000 courses of Relenza to treat Singaporeans should the need arise.
It, however, advised members of the public to avoid stockpiling these anti-viral drugs as indiscriminate use may ultimately limit their effectiveness as drug-resistant viruses may develop.
In addition to thermal scanning at local airports, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will start screening arriving passengers at various cruise and ferry terminals from 8am on Wednesday.
Thermal scanners will be deployed at Singapore's International Passenger Terminal and Regional Ferry Terminal at HabourFront Centre and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.
Thermometers will be used at West Coast Pier, Marina South Pier, Changi Ferry Terminal and Changi Point Ferry Terminal. In addition, health alert notices containing information about swine flu will be handed out to arriving passengers.
- CNA/ir
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