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14 Apr 2003
Situation Update
As at 14 April 2003, 84 SARS patients have been discharged. 62 SARS patients remain hospitalised.
There were 7 additional SARS cases reported today, 6 of whom are linked to the SGH cluster. Three of them are linked to Ward 57 and 58 cluster (comprising 2 staff and 1 visitor), 1 staff linked to the Urology Centre, and 2 linked to the Radiology Department (comprising 1 staff and 1 patient). The other case is a family contact of the CGH health attendant.
Situation Update at SGH
So far, 58 persons are linked to the SGH cluster, comprising 36 probable and 22 suspect SARS cases. They comprise 24 SGH staff, 16 inpatients and 18 visitors.
Precautionary measures for Discharged SARS patients and non-SARS patients
SARS patients who have recovered, are discharged from TTSH and followed up in accordance with the guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Upon discharge, SARS patients are given medical leave for two weeks and are required to stay at home. They are reviewed by the doctors at TTSH before they return to work or school. During their two weeks' medical leave at home, their condition is monitored by staff from TTSH through daily phone calls.
From 15 April 2003, all SARS patients who have recovered would be issued Home Quarantine Orders for 14 days upon their discharge from TTSH. For the other non-SARS patients who have been discharged from TTSH since 22 March, TTSH has been monitoring them through daily telephone calls for 2 weeks from the date of discharge. This practice will now be extended to all patients discharged from SGH, NUH, CGH and KKWCH. These patients will be advised to monitor their temperatures at home and hospital staff will call them daily to check on their health status. These two additional precautionary measures reflect our very cautious approach to monitor hospital patients closely so as to pick up discharged patients who develop fever early, for assessment.
Health screening for incoming air and cruise passengers
Between 4 pm yesterday to 4 pm today, there were 29 passengers from affected areas who required further screening by the nurses at the airport. None were sent to TTSH for further assessment. Between 4 pm yesterday to 4 pm today, there were no incoming passengers who required further screening by the nurses at the ferry terminals.
Summary of SARS cases
Below is the summary of the SARS cases to date:
Discharged: 84 (3 today)
Hospitalised: 62
Intensive care: 18 (2 new admission, no discharge)
Deaths: 10 + 2 (pending post mortem findings)
Total: 158
Suspected: 72 (including 6 children below 18)
Under home quarantine orders: 599
Travel advisory
MOH urges the public to heed World Health Organisation (WHO)'s advice to postpone travel to Hong Kong and Guangdong until another time. We would also like to advise the public to avoid travel to other SARS affected areas - Shanxi, Taiwan, Hanoi and Toronto, unless absolutely necessary.