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SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) lifted on Saturday the home quarantine order (HQO) for travellers who have been to Mexico recently. This is in light of new information on the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in the country.
On May 4, the ministry announced that those with a travel history to Mexico were to be quarantined for seven days when they enter Singapore.
But based on an authoritative study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Rapid Pandemic Assessment Collaboration, published in leading scientific journal "Science" on May 11, the case fatality rate (CFR) in Mexico is estimated at 0.4 per cent – much lower than the rate reported by Mexican authorities.
The study said the high 2.4 per cent CFR reported by Mexican health officials was due to a large number of undiagnosed and unreported infected cases in the country.
At 0.4 per cent, the Mexican CFR would be closer to the fatality rate reported elsewhere. Moreover, MOH said the outbreak in Mexico appears to be cooling off, with a drop in number of new confirmed cases.
Despite the lifting of HQO, the Health Ministry's contact tracing system is still in place and under the Infectious Diseases Act, the order will still be issued to any person who is a known or suspected close contact of a probable or confirmed case of H1N1 infection.
Furthermore, temperature screening for passengers entering Singapore at all checkpoints will continue and travellers entering the country from affected areas who have fever and/or respiratory symptoms will be asked to identify themselves for further H1N1 screening.
- CNA/so
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