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06 Apr 2003
As at 6 April 03, 72 SARS patients have been discharged. 28 SARS patients remain hospitalised.
There were 3 additional SARS cases reported today. Two are hospital staff; an SGH doctor from Ward 57/58 and a TTSH nurse. We are still investigating the source of infection for the TTSH case. The remaining new case is a man who had visited his mother when she was admitted to TTSH from mid January till the end of March 03. It is believed that he had come into contact with a SARS patient, who had not yet been recognised as a SARS patient then.
Update of Cluster of 23 hospital staff from SGH
A total of 23 hospital staff from SGH Wards 57 and 58 have been admitted to TTSH. Some of the suspect cases have been downgraded to observation status. Of the 23 staff, 1 is a probable case, 6 are admitted for observation and 16 are suspect cases. They are all stable.
As an assurance, visitors who went to Wards 57 and 58 at SGH from 20 Mar to 5 Apr 03 may call SGH hotline at 6321-3591 between 8.00am and 10.00pm for free health checks to ensure their well-being. Investigations are on-going to determine the source of infection for these hospital staff.
Precautionary Measures at SGH
To ring-fence the source of infection and to ensure continuity of care to their patients, SGH is transferring all patients from Wards 57 and 58 to TTSH. All patients who were formerly in Wards 57 and 58 during the period from 20 March 03 till 5 April 03 and who are currently still in SGH will also be transferred to TTSH. Nurses, doctors, therapists and other staff working in these 2 wards will also be transferred to TTSH to care for their patients. The transfer, involving 80 patients and 91 staff will be completed tomorrow. SGH is also contacting discharged patients who were formerly in Wards 57 and 58 during the period from 20 March 03 till 5 April 03, as well as visitors to these wards during this period, to ensure their well being.
KKH
The midwife from KKH who had SARS has recovered and been discharged. All doctors and nurses in KKH who had contact with the midwife are also well. KKH will be reopening it's Clinic A on 7 Apr 03 as more than 10 days would have passed since the midwife last worked there on 27 Mar 03.
Summary of SARS cases
To date, the total number of people diagnosed with SARS is 106. Among these are 3 children below 18 years of age. Out of the 28 patients still hospitalised, 13 are in intensive care. This includes the 20-year-old Ngee Ann Polytechnic student and the mother of the SARS patient who was transferred from NUH yesterday. Since yesterday, one patient was discharged from ICU.
Apart from the first imported case, the 6 other imported cases have not given rise to any SARS cases.
The number of suspect cases admitted is 61, including 3 children (below 18 years old). The number of people under Home Quarantine Orders is 164.
Expanded list for 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.