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17 September 2003: Joint Press Release of the Ministry of Health and WHO-Cambodia

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Singapore

The Singapore Government has reported that there is one laboratory-confirmed case of SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. A 27-year-old medical researcher who works in a virus laboratory has tested positive to SARS-CoV following a febrile illness. The diagnosis has now been confirmed by repeat testing at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laboratories.

As a precautionary measure, Singapore has issued home quarantine orders for 25 contacts of the patient. The case is mild, isolated and possibly work-related. The patient has now recovered and there have been no secondary cases. This case is therefore not regarded as a significant public health risk.

In Cambodia, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and WHO have continued to work together through the post-outbreak period to strengthen the capacity to detect SARS cases and prevent outbreaks of SARS should it re-emerge. The National SARS Technical Working Group (NTWG) has continued to implement measures to enhance SARS surveillance, diagnosis and response capacity within the community. The TWG has also established SARS quarantine wards in two major hospitals – one in Phnom Penh and one in Siem Reap - and has improved infection control practices within health-care facilities through training and the provision of personal protective equipment.

All international passengers arriving into Cambodia currently receive a SARS information card to assist in the detection of imported SARS. These measures can be quickly strengthened with the use of SARS health declaration forms and thermal scanning should the threat of SARS be significantly increased.

The MOH and WHO will continue to keep a close watch on events in Singapore. There is no need at this time to change the SARS control measures currently in place in Cambodia. Should the need arise, the Cambodian Inter-ministerial Committee on SARS will be convened to decide on appropriate action.