New Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Case In Taiwan

17 Dec 2003

The Ministry of Health has been informed that a new probable SARS case has been discovered in Taiwan today. The patient is a 44-year old male researcher in the Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defence University in Taipei. He had been working on the SARS virus in a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory. It has been reported that he may have been infected when conducting research on the virus in a laboratory on 5th December 2003.

The patient was in Singapore from 7 Dec 2003 to 10 Dec 2003 for an exchange of views on medical topics with the Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute (DMERI) at their premises. The patient was afebrile throughout his three days here. He departed Singapore early in the morning of 10 December 2003, and developed fever only in the evening on the same day following his return to Taiwan. His colleagues and family members remain well.

Public health measures have been instituted

Contact tracing is currently underway and should be completed by tonight.

Those who were in contact with him on 8th December have been advised to monitor their own temperature and to seek medical attention if unwell. MOH will monitor them through thrice daily telephone surveillance. In view of the 10 day incubation period, HQO ending 19th Dec will be issued to 70 persons who were in contact with him on 9th and 10th December.

Increased Vigilance

The Ministry has sent a medical alert to all medical practitioners as well as staff in hospitals, national centres, private medical clinics and polyclinics to update them on the situation. All have been advised to step up their vigilance against SARS.

The Ministry would like to assure the public that there is no cause for alarm. All the necessary preventive measures have been in place. There are no signs of new SARS cases in Singapore and we are monitoring the situation closely.