Singapore steps up measures against Ebola; health advisories at air and land ...

SINGAPORE – Singapore is stepping up its measures against Ebola amid the worst outbreak of the disease in West Africa.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and the Changi Airport Group to distribute individual Health Advisory Notices to nationals from the affected areas at air and land checkpoints, starting 2pm on Thursday.

The note advises that if travellers become unwell with sudden onset of high fever, stomach pains, diarrhoea, vomitting, rash or bleeding within three weeks of being in areas like Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria in West Africa, they should see a doctor early at any medical clinic in Singapore. They are also reminded to inform the doctor of where they had been.

MOH will also be putting up health advisory posters at the arrival halls of Changi Airport to advise inbound travellers to seek medical treatment if they see similar symptoms.

Travellers should consider postponing travel to affected areas if it is non-essential. Those who need to travel are advised to practice frequent handwashing and avoid direct contact with blood, secretions or other body fluids of infected or dead persons or animals, among other measures.

Prior to overseas travel, travellers can refer to this link for MOH’s latest health advisory on Ebola.

The move to distribute health advisories at checkpoints comes as there has been a escalation of cases of Ebola in West Africa in the past few days. While the situation remains fluid, the Ministry’s assessment remains that Ebola poses a “low public health risk to Singapore” as person-to-person transmission only results from direct contact of bodily fluids of those infected and the current outbreak is limited to West Africa. Singapore has limited travel connectivity to West Africa, MOH said.

Singapore steps up measures against Ebola; health advisories at air and land ...