Sixty-two suspected MERS cases have been investigated in Singapore since January and all have tested negative for the virus, the government said today.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told Parliament said the Ministry of Health has been closely monitoring the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) situation since it emerged in 2012.
The 62 suspected cases were investigated from January to July 10.
"To date, the World Health Organisation has assessed that the transmission of the disease is mainly among household and hospital contacts, and there is no evidence of sustained community transmission," he said.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) was formed late last year to oversee whole-of-government preparedness against dangerous infectious diseases including MERS and Ebola.
"However, as MERS-CoV has a long incubation period of up to 14 days, infected travellers may not have any fever when they pass through temperature screening and therefore they may not be detected at entry.
Hence, our doctors and hospitals have been reminded to remain vigilant to the threat of MERS-CoV among travellers from the affected areas," Gan said.
However, as it is "a matter of time" before the virus reaches Singapore, the health minister cautioned.
The government agencies have contingency response plans in place beyond the mentioned preventive measures.
