62 suspected Mers cases here, all negative

A TOTAL of 62 suspected cases of the Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) coronavirus have been investigated in Singapore this year, as of Friday.

All tested negative for the virus, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told the House yesterday, in response to questions.

Mr Gan added that an inter-ministerial committee was formed late last year to "oversee whole-of-government preparedness against dangerous infectious diseases, including Mers and Ebola".

He chairs the committee with Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing.

Despite the preventive measures that have been put in place, Mr Gan urged the public to remain vigilant against the threat of infectious diseases as "it is something that we need to learn to live with" amid greater global connectivity.

"We're going to see that there are, in fact, different forms of infectious diseases that will threaten Singapore from time to time," he said.

Mers has killed 36 people in South Korea since an outbreak began on May 20, with hundreds presently in quarantine.

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