Travel Alerts for Countries with Zika Virus Infections

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Health in light of the first case of Zika virus infection in Singapore (a) whether the Ministry will issue travel alerts for Singaporeans who are visiting countries which are considered as high risk; and (b) whether there will be a multi-Ministry effort to look into the control and management of infectious disease outbreaks given Singapore's high tourism traffic.

The Minister of State for Health (Mr Chee Hong Tat) (for the Minister for Health): Mdm Speaker, the first imported case of Zika virus infection in Singapore happened in May this year. The patient had travelled to Sao Paulo, Brazil from late March to early May 2016. Before this, MOH had started issuing advisories to travellers to and from Zika-affected countries on how they could protect themselves against mosquito bites, which is the main mode of transmission. We advised travellers who have returned to Singapore from affected areas to monitor their health and consult a doctor if they have symptoms of Zika, such as fever, skin rashes, joint and muscle pains, headaches and red eyes. MOH also informed hospitals and doctors about the notification, testing and clinical management for suspected Zika cases.

In addition, MOH advised pregnant women to postpone non-essential travel to countries with ongoing Zika outbreaks. If they have to travel to these areas, they should take strict precautions to protect themselves against mosquito bites.

As part of our on-going efforts to prevent and manage infectious disease outbreaks, MOH works closely with other government agencies such as MHA, ICA, and CAAS as part of the Homefront Crisis Management System. This approach has been effective in dealing with previous global outbreaks, such as the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa and the 2015 MERS outbreak in the Middle East and Republic of Korea.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang): Madam, I thank the Minister of State for the answer. With the Rio Olympics next month, we are a bit concerned whether the Zika virus will be brought back to the region by those who are participating in the Olympics or just going to attend the Olympics. What control measures do we now have to protect our athletes as well as to make sure that when they come back, whether they will be screened to see if they have the Zika virus. My concern is that we do have the vector here. Once the Zika virus sets root in Singapore, it is very hard to get rid of it.

The other supplementary question is whether there is any regional platform, for example, coordinating with our Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts on the battle against Zika? Once it gets into the region, Singapore will not be spared.

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. On his first question, we have travellers from all over the world. With the Rio Olympics, because Brazil is one of the affected countries, there will be people who will be travelling to Brazil and then, subsequently, travelling to Singapore. This is not confined to our athletes. It is also people who attend the Olympics in Brazil. With regard to our athletes, we have been in touch with the Singapore National Olympics Council and Sports Singapore to provide advisories to our athletes and officials. For example, when they are in Brazil, to protect themselves against mosquito bites, they should be wearing clothing that will cover the body, the arms and legs. They should apply insect repellent and also take precautions to sleep in air-conditioned rooms or under the mosquito nets to keep out the mosquitoes. And, very importantly, also to monitor for symptoms. I have mentioned earlier fever, rash, muscle ache, red eyes and headache. This should be done while they are in Brazil but also 14 days after they leave the country. These advisories that we provide are not just for the athletes and officials but all travellers who are visiting countries experiencing Zika outbreaks.

The second question that the Member asked is with regards to regional cooperation and, indeed, whether it is a Zika infection or any other outbreaks, because of the global nature of the spread of such diseases, it is essential for us to work closely with WHO and also with our regional counterparts. Zika, for example, is already found in our neighbouring countries and we have to take steps to work together to monitor and also to coordinate our responses.