WP: Prompt public notification of Zika important

The following is a media release by the Workers’ Party.

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The Workers’ Party notes with concern the confirmation of 41 cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection. We express our solidarity with all persons affected by the Zika virus and we wish all patients a speedy recovery.

Prompt public notification of Zika cases is important so that members of the public in the affected areas can take the necessary precautions and so that stakeholders can take vector control measures.

As a matter of process improvement and learning, we call on the government to clarify the time-line for public notification of these cases as follows.

1. For all of the 41 cases of positive Zika infection transmitted locally, was it the case that all were not tested positive until after 27 August, which was when the news was released about the 47-year old Malaysian female patient who tested positive?

2. Was the same criteria in terms of number of tests and degree of evidence applied to the case of the one Zika patient notified to the public on 27 August as for the other 40 cases notified today, on 28 August?

All residents of Singapore need the same degree of care and protection from Zika. We would also like to express our strongest support to public sector workers undertaking vector control.

Leon Perera
Deputy Chair
Media Team