VZCZCXRO9664
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHVC
DE RUEHGP #0401/01 1171031
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271031Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6648
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2219
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2301
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4264
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5970
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1461
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 000401 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES/IHB 
HHS FOR OGHA 
EAP/MTS - MCOPPOLA 
NEW DELHI FOR JEHRENDREICH 
BANGKOK FOR REO HOWARD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU EAGR EAIR CASC ECON SN
 
SUBJECT:  SINGAPORE:  SWINE FLU CONTAINMENT MEASURES 
 
REF:  A.) SINGAPORE 167 
B.) SINGAPORE 165 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  There have been no cases of swine influenza 
detected in Singapore, but the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Civil 
Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) are taking preventive 
measures against the spread of the disease.  CAAS has installed 
thermal scanners for arriving passengers at immigration checkpoints 
at Changi International Airport's three main terminals, and it 
anticipates having scanners installed at the Budget Terminal and the 
smaller Seletar Airport by April 29.  Travelers found to have 
elevated temperatures will undergo further health screening.  MOH 
has advised Singaporeans to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico and 
take other measures like maintaining high levels of personal 
hygiene.  Local authorities are testing and monitoring pork imports 
for swine flu but have not otherwise blocked imports.  If the 
outbreak extends to Asia, it could be a serious blow to an already 
struggling local aviation and tourism industry.  Post issued a 
Management Announcement on the outbreak but has not sent a warden 
message.  End Summary. 
 
No Swine Flu Cases; Containment Measures in Place 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶2.  (U) The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Civil Aviation Authority of 
Singapore (CAAS) stated that there have been no cases of swine flu 
detected in Singapore.  However, the GOS is monitoring the situation 
closely and, as of April 27, CAAS is using thermal scanners to 
screen all arriving passengers before immigration checkpoints at 
Changi International Airport's three main terminals.  CAAS expects 
to have scanners installed at the airport's nearby Budget Terminal 
and Seletar Airport by April 29.  Passengers that have an elevated 
temperature will undergo additional health screening to determine 
the cause.  MOH stated that the measures are precautionary and 
should not delay passengers traveling to and from Changi Airport. 
It is better for Singapore to be proactive than "behind the curve," 
Health Minister KHAW Boon Wan told press at a local event April 26, 
acknowledging some lessons learned during the outbreak of severe 
acute respiratory syndrome(SARS) in 2003. 
 
MOH Keeping the Public Informed 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) MOH advised the public to avoid non-essential travel to 
Mexico and to take other precautions, such as maintaining a high 
level of personal hygiene and avoiding public places and crowds if a 
person is sick.  Media reports indicate that MOH may also restrict 
the numbers of visitors (not patients) at hospitals, depending on 
how the outbreak unfolds in the region.  Singapore General Hospital 
has already decided to screen the recent travel of patients in its 
emergency room and outpatient clinics.  MOH posted on its Web site a 
"frequently asked questions" section dedicated to swine flu.  MOH 
further encouraged recent travelers to California, Kansas, Texas and 
Mexico to seek immediate medical attention if they develop swine flu 
symptoms within a week of their travel.  MOH sought to reassure the 
public by emphasizing that Singapore maintains a stockpile of 
Tamiflu, which appears to be an effective treatment against the 
swine flu virus. 
 
Monitoring Pork and Live Pig Imports 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Singapore Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has 
not taken steps to block imports of pork, but is monitoring pork and 
live pig imports to Singapore.  Singapore has no domestic pork 
industry.  Singapore does not import pork from Mexico and imports 
only frozen pork and pork products from the United States, which 
comprises about 10 percent of total pork imports to Singapore. 
(Note:  Singapore imports of frozen pork from the United States rose 
ten times, from 819 metric tons in 2006 to 8594 metric tons in 2008. 
 End note.)  AVA noted in a public statement that humans cannot 
acquire swine flu from eating properly cooked pork or pork products. 
 However, as a precautionary measure, AVA will test pork imports 
 
SINGAPORE 00000401  002 OF 002 
 
 
from the United States for evidence of swine flu, and has made 
inquiries to the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) specifically 
regarding the volume of pork exported from Texas and California to 
Singapore.  FAS has been in regular contact with AVA regarding the 
outbreaks of human swine flu in the United States. 
 
¶5.  (U) AVA stated that Singapore imports live pigs from only one 
AVA-accredited farm in Pulau Bulan, Indonesia.  (Note:  According to 
FAS, Singapore imports about 330,000 live pigs annually from that 
farm.  End note.)  AVA added that the pigs are regularly vaccinated 
against swine influenza.  The live pigs are slaughtered in only one 
abattoir in Singapore, which is regulated by AVA.  AVA has 
recommended that workers there wear protective clothing, such as 
face masks, to further prevent risk of infection. 
 
Potential Effect on Local Travel Industry 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU) There are no airlines flying directly from Singapore to 
Mexico, but Singapore Airlines (SIA) operates several routes to the 
United States.  SIA's stock price, along with that of other Asian 
airlines, declined April 27 on news of the swine influenza outbreak. 
 Fears of a potential pandemic could deal a serious blow to a local 
aviation sector already hurt by the global economic downturn. 
Visitor arrivals to Singapore dropped approximately 13 percent in 
March.  SIA has frozen wages for managers, cut capacity 11 percent 
(ref A), and is currently embroiled in a dispute with its pilots 
union over no-pay leave.  FAA contacts have indicated that SIA has 
not made any changes to pilot or crew operations as a result of the 
swine flu outbreak.  However, more reductions in flights and 
health-related travel restrictions would likely be very detrimental 
to the airlines' and airport's business.  CAAS does not know at this 
time whether it might extend additional aid or incentives to 
airlines or the airport, similar to what it has committed to help 
airline partners weather the economic downturn (ref B), if the swine 
flu outbreak spreads and travel in the region declines more, Eileen 
Poh, CAAS Director for International Relations in the Regulatory and 
International Group, told Econoff April 27. 
 
Post is Monitoring the Situation 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Post issued a Management Announcement that reiterated the 
preventive measures available in the local media.  Post has not 
issued a warden message to registered American citizens. 
 
 
SHIELDS