'We are always on alert': Ong Ye Kung assures Singaporeans regarding Nipah virus

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has said that Singaporeans need to be all alert at all times, as deadly outbreaks will happen from time to time.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Jan 28), commenting on the Communicable Diseases Agency's (CDA) statement on the Nipah virus, he emphasised the need to watch out for "sustained human to human transmission", stating that there is less worry if transmissions are limited to being between animals and humans or between humans in close settings.

He pointed out: "There is no evidence of sustained human to human transmission for Nipah virus in India.

"With the Infectious Diseases Act and the new CDA, MOH (Ministry of Health) now also has various levers and tools to mount appropriate responses.

"Singaporeans can rest assured that we are always on alert and will act quickly to protect our population."

The CDA said in a statement on Wednesday that it is closely monitoring the Nipah outbreak in India.

Reports from India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that 196 close contacts of the two cases have been identified. 

CDA explained that the current transmission takes place mainly via exposure to bats and consumption of date palm sap or fruits contaminated by bats. 

Stepped up vigilance

Singapore has stepped up vigilance against the virus across multiple sectors.

Medical practitioners and laboratories are required to notify CDA immediately of all confirmed and suspected cases of the virus, while hospitals and emergency departments have been alerted to be vigilant for Nipah infections in patients with compatible symptoms and recent travel history to the affected area.

Travellers will also receive health advisories at points of entry to Singapore, which comes with instructions to seek medical attention if unwell after travel or health precautions for those going out of the country.

Temperature screening stations will also be set up at airports for flights arriving from affected areas.

The Ministry of Manpower is also stepping up surveillance of newly arrived migrant workers from South Asia and engaging the ministry's primary care providers to increase vigilance.

"We are also reaching out to our counterparts in South Asia to better understand the situation," CDA added.

"Work is ongoing to establish a global platform for countries to report genome sequencing of detected cases."

CDA will also introduce additional public health measures should new information emerge to indicate an increased public health risk.

A zoonotic disease

The Nipah virus, capable of being transmitted from vertebrae animals to humans, is a zoonotic disease that can also be spread through contaminated food and between humans.

According to the CDA, it was first identified in 1998 and 1999 during an outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore among people who had close contact with infected pigs.

There were 11 cases in Singapore by March 1999 with one fatality before Singapore banned imports of live pigs from all farms in Negri Sembilan, Perak and north of Johor.

In Malaysia, about 1.1 million pigs were culled, according to an article by the Singapore Infopedia in the National Library.

According to the CDA, many cases during this outbreak had neurological symptoms, but transmission between humans was not observed.

In subsequent outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, limited human to human transmission was reported.

There is no specific treatment or vaccine available for the virus.

Advisory to travellers

The CDA also shared that travellers to countries affected by the virus should maintain vigilance and take precautions.

These include:

• Observing good personal hygiene by washing hands regularly with soap and water
• Avoiding contact with pigs and bats
• Staying away from areas where bats tend to gather
• Not eating or drink products that could be contaminated by bats, such as raw date palm sap or fruit that is found on the ground
• Avoiding contact with blood or body fluids from anyone known to be infected with Nipah virus

Those with risk of exposure are also advised to seek medical advice immediately.

Should you feel unwell during or after your trip, wear a mask and seek medical attention as soon as possible and inform doctors about their recent travel to Nipah virus-affected areas and any potential exposures.

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khooyihang@asiaone.com