(May 19): Singapore is stepping up precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the Ebola disease into the island, a government agency said Tuesday.
The Communicable Diseases Agency is “closely monitoring” the outbreak and will instruct travellers arriving from affected destinations to watch for Ebola symptoms for 21 days if unwell, it wrote in a statement. Incoming arrivals are already subject to medical assessments at points of entry, if they present with symptoms compatible with Ebola and have travelled to affected areas, it added.
The city-state’s warning comes as the widening outbreak has killed over 130 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, sparking global concern. The World Health Organization on Tuesday will consult its emergency committee for temporary recommendations on dealing with a rare strain of the virus, which has no approved treatment and may have spread unnoticed for weeks.
There are no direct flights to Singapore from the DRC and Uganda and travel volume is low, the agency said. Still, the agency is prepared to “adjust its public health measures should the risk assessment change”.
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