VZCZCXRO7156
RR RUEHAST RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDH RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA
RUEHNH RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO RUEHVC
DE RUEHGP #0420/01 1260116
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060116Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6666
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2222
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0101
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2304
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4267
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5973
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1464
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 03 SINGAPORE 000420 
 
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:  NO H1N1 CASES; NEW VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR 
MEXICAN PASSPORT HOLDERS 
 
REF:  SINGAPORE 401 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  There are no confirmed cases of H1N1 type A 
influenza in Singapore, but the Ministry of Health (MOH) raised its 
alert level on May 1 from yellow to orange, indicating a potentially 
greater risk of human-to-human transmission but without declaring a 
pandemic.  The GOS has instituted visa requirements for Mexican 
citizens.  Travelers of any nationality that have been to Mexico in 
the seven days prior to their arrival in Singapore will be 
quarantined for seven days.  There are currently no mandatory 
quarantines planned for travelers arriving from affected states in 
the United States, but MOH has urged travelers to voluntarily 
isolate themselves for seven days following their arrival from those 
areas.  In recent days MOH has held briefings for family physicians 
and the diplomatic community.  MOH is also working to distribute 
personal protective equipment (e.g., masks and gowns) to doctors 
throughout the island.  The GOS has installed thermal scanners at 
land border entry points and scanning continues at the airports and 
ferry terminals.  Singapore has not imposed any bans on pork 
products.  Post has issued two warden messages to keep the American 
public informed.  Other organizations such as the American Club and 
American Chamber of Commerce have also issued notices related to 
H1N1.  End Summary. 
 
Still No H1N1 Cases; Tighter Controls in Place 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2.  (SBU) There are still no confirmed cases of H1N1 type A 
influenza in Singapore, but the Ministry of Health (MOH) raised its 
alert level from yellow to orange on May 1.  The higher alert level 
indicates that the virus is becoming more transmissible among humans 
but still appears to require "close contact with an index case."  A 
pandemic has not been declared.  As a precautionary measure, the GOS 
has instituted visa requirements for Mexican passport holders 
entering Singapore, although Singapore does not have a visa issuing 
office in Mexico.  All travelers that have been to Mexico in the 
seven days prior to their arrival in Singapore must be quarantined 
for seven days.  Residents are allowed home quarantine and MOH will 
check on their status by phone.  Tourists will be placed in housing 
designated and paid for by the GOS.  Any tourist who chooses not to 
be in quarantine will be given the option to return or continue on 
to a third country.  MOH reported that two Singaporeans and one 
foreign resident of Singapore were issued the first quarantine 
orders May 4.  Anyone found to be breaking a home quarantine order 
can be fined up to S$10,000 (US$6,666) or imprisoned for up to six 
months. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) There are no mandatory quarantines planned for travelers 
arriving from the United States, though the GOS has encouraged 
recent travelers from New York, Texas, California, Kansas, and Nova 
Scotia in Canada, to voluntarily isolate themselves and practice 
social distancing for seven days to ensure they are not infected. 
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is still not 
scanning transit passengers at the airport. 
 
MOH Briefs Community Physicians 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) MOH continues to update the public through its Web site 
and local press, but it also hosted a briefing for approximately 500 
family physicians on May 2.  The Embassy's RMO attended.  MOH 
reviewed best practices for monitoring and addressing suspected H1N1 
cases, but an informal poll of the audience indicated that only 40 
percent of the physicians had enough personal protective equipment 
(e.g., masks and disposable gowns) to last one week.  MOH said it 
would work on distributing more supplies to local doctors.  The lack 
of supplies among physicians suggests that MOH's move to a higher 
alert level may have outpaced what community healthcare providers 
could actually support.  MOH has instructed all medical 
 
SINGAPORE 00000420  002 OF 003 
 
 
professionals to refer any suspected cases of H1N1 to one facility, 
Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where the Singapore Communicable Diseases 
Center is located.  MOH has established a special ambulance fleet 
and emergency line for the public to call if they suspect they have 
H1N1 or flu-like symptoms.  MOH contacts have indicated that testing 
at Tan Tock Seng for the H1N1 virus should take only a few hours so 
no patients should be held at the hospital for long periods 
unnecessarily. 
 
MOH Briefs the Diplomatic Community 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) MOH briefed the diplomatic community on May 4, reiterating 
much of the information already made public.  MFA hosted the 
briefing, which was led by Dr. Jeffrey Cutter, Senior Consultant to 
the Risk Analysis Branch of the Communicable Diseases Division. 
Cutter said that Singapore currently stockpiles approximately 1.15 
million courses of Tamiflu, which is in line with preparations for 
an outbreak that would affect about 25 percent of the population, a 
proportion seen in past pandemics.  (Note:  Singapore's population 
is about 4.68 million.  End note.)  Singapore also warehouses the 
Tamiflu stockpile for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 
(ASEAN).  During the question and answer session, Cutter referred 
questions regarding the ASEAN stockpile to the ASEAN Secretariat in 
Jakarta and did not answer questions about when and how the supply 
might be distributed to ASEAN members should the H1N1 outbreak 
escalate in Asia. 
 
Thermal Scanning Now at Land Border Checkpoints 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The GOS has extended thermal scanning beyond the airports 
and ferry terminals to include people entering Singapore at land 
border checkpoints by bus or train.  Media reports indicated that 
the scanning requirement does not include people traveling in 
trucks, cars or motorcycles because it would not be logistically 
feasible.  People found to have elevated temperatures will be 
examined by on-site healthcare professionals and referred to Tan 
Tock Seng Hospital if travel history and other health symptoms 
suggest they might be at risk for H1N1.  Some GOS offices, such as 
the Maritime and Port Authority and Monetary Authority of Singapore, 
as well as institutions like the Asian Civilizations Museum, have 
set up their own temperature scanning stations and imposed travel 
reporting requirements for visitors. 
 
"Prepare on All Fronts" for Cases in Singapore 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In an April 30 press conference, Minister for Health KHAW 
Boon Wan likened the effort to contain the H1N1 outbreak to a 
"global war."  He called the H1N1 virus a "new enemy" that requires 
a different approach from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 
(SARS) outbreak that hit Singapore in 2003.  Khaw noted that 
containing H1N1 is more challenging than SARS due to how it is 
transmitted, the longer incubation period of the virus and the fact 
that people can infect others without being symptomatic.  Khaw said 
that some of the procedures used to contain SARS, such as 
quarantines and contact tracing, might not prove as effective 
against H1N1.  However, he outlined the need for containment 
strategies to delay the arrival of the virus in Singapore, noting 
that much of the effort rests on residents and travelers to 
self-declare their prior travel and whether they have flu symptoms. 
Efforts to delay the virus help ensure that once it arrives, 
sufficient protections will be in place for the domestic population, 
Khaw added. 
 
No Ban on Pork Imports 
---------------------- 
 
 
SINGAPORE 00000420  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Singapore has not imposed bans on pork imports, but as a 
precaution the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) is testing 
pork products from H1N1 affected areas (reftel).  AVA has posted a 
"frequently asked questions" feature on their public Web site 
affirming that pork products are safe to consume and that people 
cannot acquire the H1N1 virus from eating properly handled and 
cooked pork. 
 
Embassy Flu Working Group; Keeping Americans Informed 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The Embassy's Influenza Working Group has met twice to 
review the current situation and tripwires.  Post plans to continue 
to operate normally until there are confirmed cases of H1N1 in 
Singapore, though we are requesting that visitors and employees who 
feel unwell stay home and avoid coming into the Embassy.  Post is 
redoubling its hygiene measures, especially in the high-traffic 
areas of the Embassy.  We have issued two Warden Messages to update 
the American public.  Separately, the American Club issued its own 
advisory for members, outlining the health and hygiene precautions 
published by MOH.  The American Chamber of Commerce is hosting an 
H1N1 briefing for the business community on May 7. 
 
SHIELDS