Sunday, July 12, 2009

H1N1 update: The latest from MOH

With the prevelence of the H1N1 in so many countries. WHO has stopped publishing the table of affected countries. So that means that the H1N1 is everywhere now. In Singapore, H1N1 is now estimated to comprise 28% of all cases of influenza like illness in the community. As such please note the following:

1. Contact tracing and Quarantine Orders are generally no longer required. So it is no longer necessary to send people to Pasir Ris.

2. Diagnostic tests to confirm H1N1 is only required for severe cases. So even if the Dr suspects you have H1N1, you are no longer required to have a lab test to confirm.

3. Pregnant women and persons who are immunosuppressed will have to be treated under new guidelines which stress social distancing and specialist treatment.

4. We will continue to take your temperature when you come to the clinic and ask those who have fever and flu symptoms to wear a mask and sit outside the clinic. This is necessary to avoid spreading the virus.

In a nutshell, H1N1 is amongst us and its almost like how we treat the normal flu except for a few special precautions.

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