Phase 2 of Singapore's COVID-19 reopening will likely stay in place for months

By Calvin Yang, The Straits Times, 3 Jul 2020

Restrictions such as limiting gatherings to groups of five people or fewer will likely remain for some time despite more activities resuming under phase two of Singapore's reopening, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said yesterday.

Mr Wong told a virtual press conference that phase two, which started two weeks ago, will run for months before the next level kicks in.

"And what do 'months' mean? It's really hard to pinpoint at this stage, because we are just two weeks into phase two. It's still early days," he added.



Although the multi-ministry task force tackling COVID-19 had earlier pointed to some rules that may be relaxed during this phase, Singapore is "not moving to any such relaxation any time soon".

"These sorts of things are unlikely to happen any time soon," said Mr Wong, who co-chairs the task force with Health Minister Gan Kim Yong. "That was the assessment earlier. It remains the same assessment today."

Large-scale events, such as concerts and conferences, will not be allowed to take place, and venues like bars and pubs have to remain closed.

Infection numbers are expected to increase as more activities resume, said the task force, which is casting a wider net around virus cases and testing more aggressively.

It does not rule out tightening some measures if case numbers rise much faster than expected or when large clusters pop up.



Mr Gan said that current numbers have "not fully reflected the effect of the opening" in this phase and cases may continue to go up in the coming weeks.

"We will continue to look at how we can confidently and safely continue our opening process and, eventually, we will reach phase three," he added.

"So we are still in the monitoring stage, and that time will come when we may announce additional relaxation, but I think it's too early for us to discuss at this point."

Attractions like Universal Studios Singapore have started reopening, with some restrictions, after nearly three months of being closed because of the circuit breaker.

Others, including the Jurong Bird Park, River Safari and Singapore Zoo, will reopen to the public next week.



The war against COVID-19 "is not yet over", said Mr Gan, urging residents to stay vigilant and not try to get around the rules.

"We want to move very carefully, very cautiously, and therefore very gradually. So please bear with us as we progressively open up bit by bit, step by step, to ensure safety for all."

Dengue infections hit 4,000 in early 2020 - double that of same period in 2019

Factors include rise of less common dengue virus serotype and warmer temperatures
NEA Brings Forward National Dengue Prevention Campaign And Rolls Out Additional New Tools To Combat Dengue, With Increasing Evidence Of A Sustained Switch In Dengue Virus Serotype
By Toh Wen Li, The Straits Times, 23 Mar 2020

More than 4,000 people in Singapore have been infected with dengue fever this year - double the number of cases reported for the same period last year.

The surge in cases, ahead of the traditional peak dengue season between June and October, has been fuelled by several factors - the rise of a less common dengue virus serotype, as well as warmer temperatures and more rain which have caused the population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito to multiply.

"This unusually high number of cases outside the typical peak dengue period is a cause for concern for all of us. Entering the warmer months of the year, there could be more instances of transmission," said Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli at the launch of the National Dengue Prevention Campaign in Ang Mo Kio yesterday.

The National Environment Agency's (NEA) annual campaign typically begins next month or in May, but starts earlier this year in view of the grimmer dengue outlook. The island has seen 300 to 400 new cases a week since the start of the year. There are now about 100 active dengue clusters islandwide, including 28 "red" clusters that have at least 10 cases. Parts of Jurong West and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 are in these high-risk areas.



Dengue fever is caused by four different virus serotypes, or strains. Outbreaks here tend to be caused by the DenV-1 serotype as well as DenV-2, the main dengue virus serotype here since 2016. But DenV-3 infections have been rising in the past four months. Last month, they made up 48 per cent of cases, almost double the 26 per cent for DenV-2 cases.

Mr Masagos said since Singapore has not had a dengue outbreak driven by DenV-3 in almost three decades, the population's immunity to this serotype is lower. It is "still too early" to tell if there has been a switch of predominant dengue virus type, and the NEA is monitoring the situation closely, he added.

"We have a less common dengue virus serotype emerging and lower immunity against it, and second, we have more Aedes mosquitoes carrying this virus. This has resulted in a higher number of dengue cases, which in turn increases the chances of dengue transmission. So that is the third reason for the surge in dengue cases we are seeing...

"If the three factors I mentioned persist, this number could rise beyond the historical weekly peak of 891 cases recorded in July 2014, during the peak season."



Dengue fever, which can cause a very high fever, severe headache and joint and muscle pain, claimed 20 lives last year.

Over the past three years, the detection rate of Aedes mosquito larval habitats in homes has also gone up by 90 per cent - which Mr Masagos attributed to "better surveillance and analytics capabilities".

The NEA has been taking steps to fight dengue, he said.

War on dengue: New facility in Ang Mo Kio aims to produce 5 million mosquitoes a week to fight dengue

NEA boosts dengue fight with new mozzie breeding facility
Launch will scale up Project Wolbachia to suppress Aedes aegypti population
By Timothy Goh, The Straits Times, 3 Dec 2019

The war on dengue has received a boost with the opening of a new facility in Ang Mo Kio that can breed millions of mosquitoes a week to prevent urban female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from producing offspring.

The launch yesterday comes at the tail end of a year in which Singapore has experienced its third-biggest dengue outbreak. As of Nov 21, more than 14,470 people here had been infected with the disease, with 20 lives lost.



The new facility will allow the National Environment Agency (NEA) to scale up Project Wolbachia by producing up to five million mosquitoes a week.

The project involves the release of male Wolbachia-Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to suppress the urban Aedes aegypti mosquito population, which is the primary vector of dengue, chikungunya and Zika here.

When the released male Wolbachia-Aedes aegypti mosquitoes mate with urban female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that do not carry Wolbachia, the resulting eggs do not hatch.

NEA said that over time, the continued release of male Wolbachia-Aedes aegypti mosquitoes is expected to bring about a gradual reduction in the urban Aedes aegypti mosquito population, and hence lower the risk of dengue transmission.



Speaking at the launch of the new facility, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor said: "If we are serious about confronting climate change and other challenges, dengue control cannot simply be just 'business as usual'. We cannot just do more of the same."

Explaining the need for action, Dr Khor, who is also Senior Minister of State for Health, said the dengue situation is likely to worsen over the next few decades as a result of global warming.

This is because higher temperatures result in mosquitoes breeding faster, and cause the dengue virus to replicate at a quicker rate.

City of Innovation: Singapore

National Geographic show to feature 12 Singapore innovations
By Melody Zaccheus, Housing and Heritage Correspondent, The Straits Times, 16 Nov 2019

Singapore's effort to roll out a stealth weapon to combat dengue is one of 12 innovative home-grown projects featured in a new National Geographic documentary.

Produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), the hour-long documentary will show, among other things, how the National Environment Agency is using male mosquitoes, carrying the Wolbachia bacterium, to mate with females, causing them to lay eggs that do not hatch.

The male mosquitoes neither bite humans nor transmit disease.

If successful, the novel method will form part of Singapore's dengue control programme.



Called City Of Innovation: Singapore, the documentary will be broadcast on the National Geographic channel at 8pm tomorrow.

It showcases Singapore's growth as a city that leverages technology to find cutting-edge solutions for its people and its future.

Dengue vaccine approved for use in Singapore on 4 Oct 2016; Drug giant Sanofi raises alert on harm from dengue vaccine, 29 Nov 2017

It works better for those infected before, and is less effective against common strains here
The Straits Times, 5 Oct 2016

The world's first dengue vaccine has been given the green light by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), and will be available here in a few months.

The vaccine is most effective in people who have had dengue before and - underscoring the difficulty of vaccinating against a virus that has four distinct strains - is less effective against the two strains that are more common here.



But experts say it still holds promise against the mosquito-borne virus, which had infected 12,054 people (as of 3pm yesterday) so far this year, surpassing the number for the whole of last year.

The HSA, which has been studying the vaccine since March, fast-tracked its approval process because of public health concerns.

The decision to approve Dengvaxia was based on 24 studies conducted by vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur, which involved more than 41,000 people and showed the vaccine to be safe for use and effective against dengue.

Given in three doses over a year, the vaccine is approved for use in those aged between 12 and 45. Those outside this age group can be vaccinated if they so wish, but should seek a doctor's advice first.

Before the vaccine becomes available, the HSA will be embarking on efforts to educate doctors and the public on the benefits and limitations of the vaccine.

For people aged two to 16, Dengvaxia was shown to reduce the number of dengue cases by 60 per cent as compared with those who had not been vaccinated. This figure went up to 84 per cent when it came to preventing severe dengue infections in the same age group.

Additional studies showed that the vaccine was effective up to age 45, said the HSA yesterday.

Zika in Singapore: Ministerial Statement by MOH, MEWR

Singapore's Zika efforts started two years ago
By Salma Khalik, Senior Health Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 Sep 2016

For the past two years, well before the Zika virus came to its shores, Singapore has been preparing itself to fight it, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told Parliament yesterday.

A surveillance programme for the virus was put in place two years ago, when the virus started hitting some parts of the world. Some 200 clinics began collecting blood samples from patients with Zika-like symptoms, Mr Gan said.



In January, Zika was made a notifiable infection so that the Ministry of Health (MOH) would be immediately alerted if any doctor or laboratory detected a case.

Close to 4,000 samples were tested between February and August - and all were negative until the first locally transmitted case was diagnosed on Aug 27.

Since then, 333 people have been infected, including eight pregnant women, and seven Zika clusters found. But for the first time since Aug 27, no new cases were announced yesterday.

Mr Gan said the jump in the number of cases - from one on Aug 27 to 41 the following day - had raised some questions."In reality, the number of confirmed new Zika-positive patients, and I repeat new cases, increased only to five," he said. The other 36 cases surfaced because of back-tracking efforts.

The focus now is on efforts to eradicate the Aedes mosquito.



Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said that between Aug 27 and Sept 11, more than 31,000 premises were inspected and more than 200 mosquito-breeding sites destroyed. The authorities have also broken into 24 premises to look for breeding sites.

Pregnant women, whose unborn foetus can be damaged by Zika, will still be treated as a special group. Those showing Zika symptoms will be tested free of charge. Those who have the virus will be monitored through their pregnancy.

Singapore a role model in handling Zika outbreak: World Health Organisation

The Straits Times, 3 Sep 2016

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said Singapore represents a role model for countries in its handling of Zika cases, and praised the level of transparency shown here.


It also revealed that Singapore is expected to complete gene sequencing of the virus strain behind the cases by next week. This is to confirm if the virus is the Asian strain, which is behind outbreaks in Brazil and the Americas, and which has been linked with microcephaly.

Last Saturday, the authorities announced that a locally transmitted case had been detected in the Aljunied area. The number of infections stood at 189 as of noon yesterday - including 38 newly detected cases.

While 34 of the latest cases were linked to the Aljunied Crescent/ Sims Drive/Kallang Way/Paya Lebar Way cluster, the remaining four new cases were not associated with any existing cluster, the Health Ministry said. It did not specify any other locations.

So far, two pregnant women have been infected. While the Zika infection is mild for most people, it can have serious consequences for unborn children, who may develop microcephaly and be born with a much smaller head.

Speaking after a meeting of the WHO's emergency committee on Zika at its Geneva headquarters yesterday, its outbreaks and emergencies head Peter Salama highlighted the "enormous" amount of work Singapore put in over the last week to track and contain Zika's spread.

This includes "epidemiological work, lab work, public health work, including vector control, detailed follow-up including retroactive analysis of cases".

"We really have to congratulate the transparency and quick reporting the Government of Singapore has implemented in the case of this outbreak and hope that all other countries can do the same," said Dr Salama.



Yesterday, the National Environment Agency said there will be community activities over the coming two weekends to urge residents to fight Zika. Among other things, they should ensure that mosquitoes are not breeding in homes and remove stagnant water.

Zika in Singapore: Need for mosquito control and public health education

The Zika virus is likely to become endemic in Singapore. A strategy of minimising and testing for infection in pregnant women, outpatient management of patients, and controlling mosquito spread are key.
By Alex R. Cook and Hsu Li Yang, Published The Straits Times, 1 Sep 2016

The Zika virus is so named because it was discovered in a sentinel monkey in the Zika Forest near Entebbe, Uganda, by scientists working at the Yellow Fever Research Institute in 1947.

Closely related to dengue, Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever viruses, it is transmitted primarily by mosquitoes, including the Aedes aegypti, which is also the main vector of dengue in Singapore.

The Zika virus' original hosts are primates, including orang utans in the forests of Borneo. Prior to 2007, human infections were rarely reported and were believed to be mostly due to zoonotic (that is, from primate to human) transmission via a mosquito vector.

In 2007, the first known human epidemic of Zika occurred on the Micronesian island of Yap. The virus spread relentlessly eastwards to finally reach the Americas. Brazil was the first country in South America to report Zika cases in April last year, although researchers believe that the virus arrived during the Fifa Confederations Cup held in that country in June 2013, possibly around the Tahiti-Uruguay match held in Recife, Brazil.

Since then, Zika has spread explosively throughout the tropical countries of South America, Mexico and parts of Central America, with local transmission of the virus reported in Florida since July 19 this year.

The disease caused by the virus is generally mild. Four out of every five infected people are asymptomatic (that is, never develop any symptoms). Only 20 per cent of those infected develop Zika fever, which often presents as fever accompanied by other symptoms such as rash, joint pain, inflammation of the eyes, headaches and muscle aches, three to 12 days after infection sets in.

These symptoms are not unique to Zika. Due to similarities to the symptoms of dengue fever, Zika is oft referred to as "mild dengue". Most people with Zika fever recover within a few days, and many do not seek medical attention.

It is important to note that all infected people, symptomatic or not, can transmit the infection to others if they are bitten by Aedes mosquitoes during the first few days of infection as the virus circulates within the bloodstream; or, in rare cases, via unprotected sexual intercourse as the virus is able to persist in semen in excess of six weeks. People who are infected develop lifelong immunity to Zika after they recover.

There are, however, two devastating complications resulting from Zika infection - both of which are fortunately rare.

Approximately three out of every 10,000 infections lead to a rare neurological disease called Guillain-Barre syndrome, with paralysis of the limbs.

In women who are pregnant at the time of infection, the virus may also infect the unborn foetuses, causing miscarriages, congenital abnormalities including microcephaly (abnormally small heads), and brain damage. The risk appears highest during the first trimester of pregnancy, with an estimated 1 per cent to 10 per cent of infected pregnant women delivering babies with microcephaly. Children born to women infected during the third trimester of pregnancy are hardly affected.

A recently published study showed that a laboratory strain of Zika virus could damage the neural stem cells of immuno-compromised mice in a mouse model of Zika infection, with a postulated impact on memory and learning. This led to speculations that the impact of Zika infection in other adults could be more severe than previously thought. Whether evidence from animal models is truly predictive of human outcomes has long been a contentious issue, and it is therefore important to note that what happened to the mice in this single animal study on Zika may not necessarily reflect what will happen in humans.

The online Straits Times report ("41 cases of locally transmitted Zika confirmed in Aljunied Crescent cluster, 34 fully recovered", Aug 28) signals the first known outbreak of Zika in Singapore. There is currently no treatment for Zika. While a vaccine has already been developed, early-stage (Phase 1) clinical trials have just started. Should the vaccine prove to be effective, it will take several years before it becomes commercially available. Without a vaccine or cure, how should we respond to the Zika outbreak?

Zika Virus: Singapore confirms locally-transmitted cases on 27 August 2016

Zika Virus

MOH FAQs on Zika Virus / Zika Clusters


 




 









Number of local Zika cases rises to 41
Figure may go up as there is a high likelihood of more local transmissions: Health Minister
By Salma Khalik, Senior Health Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Aug 2016

The number of people in Singapore infected by the Zika virus has gone up, with the Ministry of Health (MOH) saying yesterday that 41, most of whom are foreign construction workers, have tested positive.

Thirty-four have fully recovered. The other seven, who are still showing symptoms and are potentially infectious, are recovering in Tan Tock Seng Hospital. All those infected either live or work in the Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive area.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said the number is expected to rise as there is a high likelihood of more local transmissions. He highlighted that there may be Zika carriers who show no symptoms - such as fever, rash and red eyes - and do not seek treatment, but are still infectious.

Yesterday's update followed news on Saturday that a Malaysian woman living in Aljunied Crescent had tested positive for the Aedes mosquito-borne virus. As she had no travel history to infected countries, it was confirmed as a local transmission, making Singapore the 58th country in the world to report the spread of the disease within its borders. In May, a man returning from Brazil, where Zika is rife, was the first known Zika case here.



But the 47-year-old woman is not the first to catch the infection locally. One of the other 40 people infected was sick a month ago, but even he might not have been the first, the authorities said yesterday.

"They are not known to have travelled to Zika-affected areas recently, and are thus likely to have been infected in Singapore," they said. "This confirms that local transmission of Zika virus infection has taken place."

MOH said that at this point, the community transmission appears to be localised within the Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive cluster.

Besides the Malaysian woman, who is said to be a worker at a coffee shop at Block 45 in Sims Drive, the other 40 people comprise 36 foreign workers who work at a construction site at 60 Sims Drive and four Singaporean men.

The Singaporean men include a father and son who live in Block 62, Sims Drive. The son is doing his national service at Khatib Camp. MOH is in touch with the Defence Ministry on this and has been told that no one there has symptoms.

Another Singaporean man works at the construction site and lives in Sembawang Drive. The fourth lives at Block 54, Sims Drive.

The foreign workers were among 118 working at the site who were tested. Some either live or work in Kranji Road, Joo Chiat Place, Senoko South Road, Toh Guan Road East and Lorong 101 Changi.

NEA to release male Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes as part of field study in October 2016

NEA to test novel way of cutting mosquito numbers
Study using bacteria-infected male mozzies to render females sterile to be held in three areas
By Amelia Teng, The Sunday Times, 28 Aug 2016

From October, some residents might notice more mosquitoes buzzing in their neighbourhoods.

But don't worry, they won't bite.

In fact, these male Aedes mosquitoes do not transmit disease, but are Singapore's latest allies in the fight against dengue. What the male mosquitoes will be armed with is Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacterium. When these males mate with female mosquitoes, the bacterium causes the females to lay eggs that do not hatch.

Over time, this could lead to a fall in the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which transmit the viruses that cause dengue fever. These mosquitoes also carry the chikungunya and Zika viruses.

Yesterday, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli announced that the National Environment Agency (NEA) will release the bacteria-carrying mosquitoes at three sites as part of a field study. The areas, Yishun Street 21, Tampines Avenue 4 and Jalan Riang/Jalan Sukachita in Braddell Heights, previously had dengue outbreaks and represent a cross-section of typical housing estates here - both high-rise and landed.



The Environmental Health Institute, a public health laboratory at the NEA, has been studying this novel method since 2012 and carrying out risk assessment and research to confirm that it is safe.

Mr Masagos told reporters that while efforts to reduce the mosquito population have been "fairly successful", Singapore is still susceptible to dengue outbreaks as it is in a region where dengue is endemic.

He said the new method "works together with source eradication". "Whatever we're doing today to ensure that mosquitoes don't have opportunity to breed must continue."

First Case of Zika Virus Infection in Singapore on 13 May 2016

* Singapore's first Zika patient fully recovered, discharged from hospital
Zika patient discharged from Communicable Diseases Centre
By Tiffany Fumiko Tay, The Straits Times, 18 May 2016

A 48-year-old permanent resident who was Singapore's first confirmed Zika case has made a full recovery, and was discharged from the Communicable Diseases Centre at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) yesterday afternoon.

According to a joint statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environment Agency (NEA), the patient's blood samples tested negative for the mosquito-borne virus.

The statement added that his family members had not reported any symptoms of Zika.

The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes mosquito, which also transmits dengue.

The Watten Estate resident was confirmed as having the virus last Friday after contracting it during a business trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil, between March 27 and May 7. Brazil is the country most affected by Zika, with more than 91,000 cases reported there between Jan 3 and April 2.

The patient developed a fever and rash three days after his return, and was admitted to Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital last Thursday, where he was isolated.

He was later transferred to the Communicable Diseases Centre at TTSH.

According to MOH, public contact with the patient was minimal as he stayed at home for most of the time after returning from his trip, and did not take public transport to the hospital.

Some 160 NEA officers, contractors and volunteers were out in full force over the weekend, fogging the Watten Estate area, inspecting homes and public areas, and distributing fliers about anti-mosquito measures.

The NEA said on Monday that around 700 premises had been inspected, and 40 mosquito breeding sites detected and destroyed.

Of the breeding sites found, 26 were in homes and 14 in common areas.

Committee of Supply Debate 2016: MSF, MEWR, MOT

Committee of Supply debate: Ministry of Social and Family Development

KidStart: Disadvantaged kids to get help in $20m programme
1,000 children up to six years old living in five areas to be identified for three-year trial
By Priscilla Goy, The Straits Times, 13 Apr 2016

An initiative to give a leg-up to young children from disadvantaged families will be rolled out in five areas in the second half of this year.

The areas are Bukit Merah, Kreta Ayer, Boon Lay, Taman Jurong and Geylang Serai.

Some 1,000 children up to six years old will be "proactively identified" by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and organisations such as family service centres, hospitals and pre-schools, for the trial of the KidStart scheme.

They could include those who come from families with poor, young or unwed parents, or with parents who are in jail.



The Government has set aside more than $20 million for the three-year trial.

The scheme will coordinate the existing support services provided by different agencies for such children. In addition, it will extend support in areas such as health and learning, and will also monitor the children's progress.

For instance, the children may get basic immunisations and placement in pre-schools.

Their parents will also get help, such as through home visits or parent support groups, so that they can better support the children during their pre-school years and transition to primary school.

These details of the KidStart scheme, first announced by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat in his Budget speech last month, were revealed by Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin yesterday.

Said Mr Tan during the debate on his ministry's budget: "Some children, possibly because of complex family circumstances, already lag behind developmentally even in their early years... In order to help (them), we have to go upstream and provide additional support."

Parliament Highlights - 29 Feb 2016

Khaw fleshes out plan for new 30-station MRT line
50km Cross Island Line, with nearly 15 interchanges, will see 600,000 daily trips
By Adrian Lim, The Straits Times, 1 Mar 2016

The 50km Cross Island Line (CRL) will be an important part of Singapore's rail network, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said.

Nearly half of its 30 stations from east to west will be interchanges to other MRT lines, offering commuters many travel options, he added.



Mr Khaw told Parliament yesterday that the line will serve residential areas such as Loyang, Pasir Ris, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio, Sin Ming, Bukit Timah, Clementi and West Coast, and commuters will make at least 600,000 trips on it daily.

But as to whether the underground CRL will be built through the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) or route around it - an issue of contention - Mr Khaw said more environmental and engineering studies, along with public consultations, must be done.

These may take over two more years, before a decision on the alignment can be made, Mr Khaw said, in reply to questions from Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) about the CRL.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report to study the effects of site investigation works, released last month, itself took two years to complete.

Mr Khaw said the CRL, which is expected to be ready by 2030, will "significantly enhance" the MRT network's resilience, and its capacity and usage will far exceed that of the existing North-East Line.

He also said the longer 9km skirt around the CCNR will incur an extra travel time of six minutes, compared with the more direct 4km route running underneath the reserve.

"An extra 1 minute is a lot of time, let alone 6 minutes": Khaw Boon Wan says having a section of the Cross Island Line skirt the Central Catchment Nature Reserve could add 6 minutes' to commuters' travelling time. http://bit.ly/1VMn8xn
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Monday, February 29, 2016

Alluding to high public expectations of the MRT, Mr Khaw quipped that in a minute's delay, a commuter could post 100 times on Twitter to "flame" the Land Transport Authority and the rail operator.

This extra six minutes could not just be "brushed aside", he said.

Mr Ng said the skirt-around alignment would serve more commuters, but Mr Khaw replied that residents in the area are already served by the Circle Line and the future Thomson-East Coast Line.

CROSS ISLAND LINE: The skirting alignment option will cost about S$2 billion more to build. Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan says more investigations need to be carried out and urges the public to "keep an open mind". http://bit.ly/1VMn8xn
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Sunday, February 28, 2016

Mr Khaw also said a skirt-around alignment would need longer tunnels and ventilation facilities on the surface. This option would cost $2 billion more and could result in land acquisitions.

But for the direct alignment option, 2km will be deep below the CCNR at about 40m - or 12 storeys - below ground level, and there will be no structures built at the surface level, Mr Khaw said.

Mr Ng also asked for the total cost of the CRL project, and which houses and buildings will be acquired.

Mr Khaw replied that it was still too early to know these details, and a second phase of EIA, to look into the impact of construction and running of trains underneath the nature reserve, will be done.

He urged Singaporeans not to take a biased approach to the issue, noting that some comments on the first EIA have been "very toxic".

"Keep an open mind, go with the facts. Keep an open mind and look for the evidence," he said.

$200 fine for homes found breeding mosquitoes from 14 Mar 2016

$200 fine for anyone caught breeding mozzies
Tougher action against home owners from March 14, to tackle dengue and Zika threats
By Tan Weizhen, The Straits Times, 29 Feb 2016

With an expected spike in dengue cases this year and the threat of the Zika virus, enforcement will be stepped up against homes found to be breeding mosquitoes.

From March 14, all homes - whether they are within or outside dengue clusters - will be fined $200 if they are found to be breeding mosquitoes. Currently, only homes within dengue clusters are fined $200, with homes outside not fined at all.

"We have to send this strong signal to everyone to do their part," said Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli yesterday at the launch of an annual campaign to get people to eliminate mosquito breeding.

"The majority of the breeding places are still found in homes, the usual places again and again, and therefore we will be toughening our approach towards home owners."

Dengue cases this year could hit a high of 30,000 due to warmer weather, more mosquitoes and a change in the type of prevailing dengue virus, which would cause a spike in cases, said the National Environment Agency (NEA). This would be higher than the previous record of 22,170 cases in 2013, it said.

In January, the NEA has conducted more than 126,000 inspections islandwide, and found more than 1,900 cases of mosquito breeding. In the week ended Feb 20, 593 dengue cases were reported.

Adding to worries is the Zika virus, which is linked to under-developed brains in babies. It has been spreading across the Americas at an alarming rate, prompting the Ministry of Health to issue a statement last month on steps it would take if the virus entered Singapore.

Like dengue, the Zika virus is carried by the Aedes mosquito.

Parliament debate on President's Address 2016: Day 3

Tackling fault lines, through words and actions
The Straits Times, 28 Jan 2016

Minister of State for Communications and Information and Education Janil Puthucheary said Singapore's acceptance of one another, regardless of race, language or religion, can also apply to other differences. Here is an edited extract:

One Saturday in July 2015, I was at the Padang, as I had the privilege to be the reserve commander for the PAP Community Foundation's marching contingent for the National Day Parade.

Just in front of me, to my left, were three young soldiers, also on reserve duty. They were joking and poking, pushing and shoving, enjoying each other's company.

Then the music started, the first few bars of Majulah Singapura. We began to sing as we had done many times before.

But something was different that afternoon. Maybe it was the excitement of the dress rehearsal, or maybe it was just a sense of whimsy or foolishness, but these three young soldiers started to sing as loud as they could.

Whatever the reason, the aunties and uncles around me also raised their voices. In my mind's eye, the enciks behind us began to sing even louder.

So louder and louder we sang, until it was a roar full of pride (and) passion. When the last notes faded, we looked around and smiled; we all agreed we had felt something special that afternoon.

When I left the Padang, I was rushing back to my constituency for an SG50 celebration.

As the night came to an end, we were in the multi-purpose hall. I found myself standing in front of a stage filled with kids. The last song was to be Majulah Singapura. I turned around and found a small boy on the stage behind me.

"We're going to sing Majulah Singapura, are you going to sing?" I asked him.

"Yes Uncle."

"Do you know the words?" I said.

"Yes Uncle, I know all the words," he replied, full of excitement and energy.

We began to sing, he did not know the words, not at all. As the first verse finished with "Berjaya Singapura", you could hear him trying loudly to sing, but you couldn't really hear the words. He was completely out of time.

His parents began to have a worried look on their faces. I smiled at them and shrugged, it was okay, he was doing his best, a little child trying his best to sing our Majulah Singapura. Throughout this song, we heard his little voice trying harder and harder to get it right. When we finished, we all laughed and high- fived and hugged.

I have told this story many times. After a while, I began to think about how people would respond, what questions I might be asked. And there was one question that occurred to me that would be very natural in many parts of the world, and maybe would have been very natural in the Singapore of 50, 10 and perhaps five years ago. I was never asked this question.

In the six months I have been telling the story, I have never once been asked about the race of the soldiers and the little boy.

What does that say? Because it doesn't change the story. The story is about Singapore and Singaporeans, regardless of race, language or religion.

Zika virus: Singapore takes extra precautions against virus

What is the Zika virus?
What is the Zika virus? More here: http://reut.rs/1RLvYww
Posted by Reuters on Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Zika virus - Questions and answers (Q&A)
What is #ZikaVirus?Is there treatment?Should I avoid travelling to areas where #Zika virus is occurring?What can I do to protect myself and my family?
Posted by World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday, January 30, 2016

MOH to set up Clinical Advisory Group on Zika virus infection and pregnancy
The Zika infection is strongly suspected to cause microcephaly in the baby if the mother was infected while she was pregnant.
By Nadia Jansen Hassan and Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia, 3 Feb 2016

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will be setting up a Clinical Advisory Group on the Zika virus to provide expert advice on the management of pregnant women with Zika virus infection.

MOH and NEA have introduced additional measures following the WHO’s declaration of an international public health...
Posted by Ministry of Health on Wednesday, February 3, 2016

This is in light of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) announcement on Feb 1, declaring microcephaly a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

The severe neurological condition, which sees babies born with abnormally small heads and brains, is strongly suspected to be linked to Zika virus infections if the victim is pregnant. This, however, has yet to be scientifically proven.

Prior to WHO's declaration, MOH and the National Environment Agency (NEA) had already stepped up precautionary measures to reduce the risk of Zika taking root in Singapore. These include circulars to doctors and health advisories to travellers to and from Zika-affected countries.

What will happen if a patient is suspected of being infected with the #Zika virus? The protocol in place includes increasing precautionary measures, reports Nadia Jansen Hassan. http://bit.ly/1PzVzXg
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Wednesday, February 3, 2016

A GP in Tampines, Dr Alvin Ang, confirmed that the Health Ministry had issued a circular less than a week ago, detailing steps to take if Zika is suspected.

“If we suspect Zika, we can just notify one of the officers at MOH," he said. "They will arrange for the blood that we collect from the patient to be sent to the National Public Health lab. They will give us the results in about 48 hours."

MOH reiterated that "travellers who have returned to Singapore from affected areas to monitor their health and consult a doctor if they have symptoms of Zika, such as fever, skin rashes, joint and muscle pains, headaches and red eyes, and to reveal their travel history to their doctor".

The testing ability for the virus has also been expanded to public hospital laboratories.