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| Singapore to refocus anti－SARS efforts on in－community infection control: official |
| CCTV.COM 2003-05-04 13:05:29 |
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A senior official of Singapore said Saturday that the government will refocus its efforts against severe acute respiratory syndrome （SARS） on in－community infection control after the past two weeks saw no new SARS infection in hospitals of the country.
Khaw Boon Wan, team leader of Singapore's SARS Ministerial Combat Unit and Senior Minister of State for Transport and Information, Communications and the Arts, affirmed that since efforts were made to enhance infection control measures in all hospitals, there have been no hospital workers infected with SARS in the past 19 days and no－cross－infection to other hospital patients or visitors in the past 15 days in Singapore.
In particular, there have been no staff infection as well as no cross infection of patients in the past 28 days in the Tan Tock Seng Hospital （TTSH） which has been designated to treat SARS patients in Singapore, he said.
He said that the government has implemented the PDI （protect, detect and isolate） strategy to curb SARS spread in hospitals where the majority of the SARS infection occurred since the first index case was admitted to TTSH on March 1, 2003, noting the strategy has worked well.
Of the total 203 SARS cases, 4 percent were imported, 62 percent infected in hospitals, 30 percent contracted by family members and friends, 2 percent traced to community and the other 2 percent yet unknown, he noted.
Singapore has been lucky to have no significant community spread but next focus should be brought on in－community infection to make Singaporeans prepare for the worst, he said.
In explaining the government strategy of DTQM （detect, trace, quarantine, Monitor） to control infection in communities, he said that primary healthcare providers will be the next battlefront to detect SARS cases and they need to be on high alert and proper protection.
He also said that contact tracing needs a critical line of defense that requires speed and effectiveness while tougher measures should be taken to ensure compliance of home quarantine orders as well as close monitoring and speedy transfer to TTSH when symptom emerges.
Khaw also asked Singaporeans to forge community spirit and conquer fear in fighting SARS and in particular. He urged Singaporeans to take temperature daily and observe good personal hygiene.
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Editor: Zhong Source:Xinhua
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