Singapore PM says coronavirus spread could worsen but ‘there is no need to panic’
- Lee Hsien Loong sought to reassure Singaporeans who have gone on frenzied shopping sprees to stock up on essentials since the country raised its outbreak alert level
- The government is well-prepared to tackle the crisis and will reconsider its strategy if the number of new cases keeps growing, he said
The alert is the same as what was used for the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) outbreak in 2003. It means that while the nature of the disease is severe and can spread easily from person to person, it is being contained and has not spread widely.
While fear and anxiety were natural reactions, it could cause more harm than the disease if it led to panic or if people circulated rumours, hoarded essential supplies or blamed particular groups for the virus, he said.
“There is no need to panic. We are not locking down the city or confining everybody to stay at home. We have ample supplies, so there is no need to stock up with instant noodles, tinned food, or toilet paper, as some people did yesterday,” he said.
Seven of Singapore’s 40 cases were confirmed late on Saturday, with five linked to previously-diagnosed patients. The other two new patients are a taxi driver and a private hire car driver.
On Friday, Singapore authorities revealed that four patients had no links to previously diagnosed cases and had not recently visited mainland China. The new cases signalled that there was now community spread of the disease, they said.
Of the 40 diagnosed patients, two who are tourists from Wuhan have recovered but four others are in critical condition in intensive care and one requires additional oxygen support.
Lee said authorities were continuing to conduct contact tracing for patients and to quarantine their close contacts.
“But I expect to see more cases with no known contacts in the coming days.”
Decision to ban visitors from China to ‘protect Singapore’s public health’
“If the numbers keep growing, at some point we will have to reconsider our strategy. If the virus is widespread, it is futile to try to trace every contact,” Lee said, adding that health care institutions would be overwhelmed if the government were to isolate and hospitalise every suspected case.
“At that point, provided that the fatality rate stays low like flu, we should shift our approach.”
The new strategy would see hospitals and health care workers focus on “most vulnerable” patients, such as the elderly, young children, and those with medical conditions. Those with mild symptoms would see family general practitioners instead.
Said Lee: “It may or may not happen but we are thinking ahead and anticipating the next few steps. And I am sharing these possibilities with you, so that we are all mentally prepared for what may come.”
The Prime Minister also stressed that Singapore was more prepared to manage the outbreak compared to Sars in 2003, which killed 813 people, according to World Health Organisation statistics.
For example, it had stockpiled adequate supplies of masks, upgraded medical facilities and had better-trained medical professionals than before, he said.
Joyce Lam, a Singaporean in her mid-50s, said she bought canned food and instant noodles on Friday evening after the alert level was raised.
“I went to stock up just in case my company wants us to work from home instead of in the office. I can cook instead of eating out,” she said, adding that it was shocking to see the supermarket jam-packed with shoppers and grocery carts piled high with their purchases.
Singapore was among the first countries to close its borders to all foreigners with recent travel history to China last week in a bid to stem the outbreak and its leaders have taken pains to make clear that they view the virus as a global problem and will support Beijing and the international community in fighting it.
On Friday, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said he had spoken with Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng and that Singapore’s efforts in this crisis would include developing better medical testing. He said Singapore would contribute 10,000 diagnostic kits and three machines that can screen for the virus, and would provide another 10,000 test kits in the coming weeks.
“In times like this, with the long-standing special relationship between Singapore and China, it is also important for us to work together,” Heng wrote on Facebook.
A flight carrying medical supplies and diagnostic test kits left the city state for Wuhan, the epicentre of the contagion that has been locked down, on Saturday and will return with Singaporeans and their family members. An earlier evacuation flight brought 92 citizens home.
