Risk of Ebola spreading to Singapore is low: MOH

The risk of the Ebola virus spreading to Singapore is low because of limited travel connectivity between here and West Africa, says the Ministry of Health.
 
Speaking in Parliament on Monday’s sitting, Minister of State for Health Lam Pin Min said that in one month, an average of about 30 arrive from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and between 200 and 300 come from Nigeria.
 
Any passengers arriving here from the Ebola-hit countries, as well as Senegal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who show symptoms of Ebola will be isolated and transported to Tan Tock Seng Hospital in a portable medical isolation unit for further management and treatment.
 
Dr Lam said hospitals here would focus on intensive support treatment as no vaccines or treatments have proven effective yet.
 
Separately, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Masagos Zulkifli said there are 12 Singaporeans in Nigeria and one in Liberia, all of whom are registered with his ministry.
 
He said the MFA is in regular contact with the 13 individuals, and has urged them to consider returning to Singapore so that they can minimise their risk of exposure to Ebola.
 
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the most severe in history thus far, has to date claimed more than 2,000 lives, with Sierra Leone most recently imposing a nationwide shutdown in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly virus that has no proven cure.
 
It is not airborne, however, and is only spread through the direct contact with the blood and fluids of an infected person.