SINGAPORE: Singapore is preparing for various scenarios of how the global outbreak of a novel coronavirus could evolve, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong in Parliament on Monday (Feb 3) as he warned of risks ahead and the need to “plan for the worst”.
“There could be a long road ahead,” he said in a ministerial statement delivered in response to six parliamentary questions filed about the latest virus outbreak, which first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan last December and has since spread to 23 countries around the world.
AdvertisementAdvertisementHe referred to how it took about eight months from the first detected case of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it to be contained in July 2003.
How the current virus outbreak would turn out is unsure, Mr Gan said.
“Therefore, we must stand ready to respond to new developments as the situation evolves.”
First, he said there could be community spread in more Chinese cities beyond Wuhan or in other countries.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIf this happens, Singapore may be a need to roll out additional measures to prevent the importation and to contain the virus, said the minister, who described this as not an easy decision to make.
“We have to do what is necessary to protect the health and safety of our people and those who travel to Singapore,” he added.
The second scenario, according to Mr Gan, is local community spread.
“Despite our best efforts, this is a possibility that we must be ready for,” he said, while adding that the key to managing this is quick detection and limiting further spread, which calls on social responsibility from all Singaporeans.
“If the infected Singaporean wears a mask to protect others, and promptly sees a doctor and gets triaged for testing, the risk of further spread could be greatly reduced. Even if there is spread, quick action will help to limit its extent,” Mr Gan elaborated.
Once tested positive, the Government can also contact trace quickly, helping to reduce further spread to their close contacts, he added.
“If the community spread becomes very extensive, we will need to consider measures to reduce human to human interactions, such as cancelling mass gatherings, suspending schools, paring down non-essential care services and introducing further infection control and monitoring measures, to slow the spread,” said the minister.
In the third scenario, the virus could mutate to become more infectious and spread widely, resulting in a pandemic.
“This is the known unknown, and we have to assess what best to do, depending on how the virus mutates,” he told Parliament. For example, the virus may also become less infectious or less severe.
On the healthcare front, Mr Gan, who also co-chairs a multi-ministerial task force set up on Jan 22 to direct the Government’s response to the new infectious virus, said Singapore is stepping up preparations for these potential scenarios.
This include increasing the capacity of isolation beds by around 100 in the past two weeks.
Singapore has also been increasing its testing capacity to more quickly confirm suspect cases.
“Overall, we must stay calm but cautious. Our early intervention efforts have helped to contain the spread so far, but while we hope for the best, we must plan for the worst,” he said.
[h=3]READ: Wuhan virus in Singapore: The first 7 days[/h]In his wide-ranging statement, Mr Gan also spoke on what is known about the novel coronavirus, touched on the “multiple lines” of defence that Singapore has put in place and provided an update on the current situation in Singapore.
As of 8am on Monday, the number of confirmed cases in Singapore remained at 18. All of the confirmed cases are being treated in isolation rooms and the conditions of most of these confirmed cases are improving, said Mr Gan.
Meanwhile, as of Sunday noon, 43 recently admitted suspect cases are pending test results, while 240 suspect cases were tested and cleared.
“To date, there is no evidence of local community transmission. However, we should not be complacent and we must be prepared for this scenario,” said the Health Minister.
Noting that Singaporeans may feel anxious given the many unknowns about the novel coronavirus, Mr Gan said: “Here, I want to reiterate the Government’s firm commitment that we will spare no efforts in protecting our people.
“We will act swiftly and share information on the novel coronavirus openly and as soon as possible,” he added.
“We have overcome several challenges as a nation in the past, such as SARS, H1N1, and Zika. In the face of this novel coronavirus, we have built up our defences, our capabilities, and we are stronger and more prepared.
“This is a fight that calls on every individual to do our part. We are confident that we can manage and overcome this situation as a nation, and emerge stronger together,” he said.
Mr Gan, in his speech, also acknowledged the healthcare workers on the frontlines and commended them for their bravery and selflessness.
He also noted that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus is not just a problem for China, but for the world.
As such, Singapore will be putting together an assistance package to help the communities in China severely affected by the novel coronavirus, with more details to be provided later.
[h=3]BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage on the Wuhan coronavirus and its developments[/h]Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the Wuhan virus outbreak: Telegram: Contact @cnalatest
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