SINGAPORE - There have been 41 cases of locally-transmitted Zika virus infection here, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environment Agency (NEA).

All of the infected are residents or workers in the Aljunied Crescent and Sims Drive areas, including 36 foreign workers.

Those who tested positive for the virus include a 65-year-old retiree and his 21-year-old son, a full-time national serviceman who is doing his national service at Khatib Camp. The pair, who are residents of Block 62 Sims Drive, developed symptoms of fever and rash on Aug 23 and Aug 21 respectively and were warded at the Tan Tock Seng Communicable Diseases Centre (CDC) on Aug 27. 

A 30-year-old Singaporean man who works at a construction site at 60 Sims Drive as well as a 44-year-old man who lives at Block 54 Sims Drive are also among those infected. 

Of the 41 people who tested positive for Zika, 34 of them have fully recovered while seven are recovering at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, said MOH and NEA in the joint statement on Aug 28.

A total of 124 people were tested on Aug 27, after Singapore's first locally-transmitted case of the virus was reported, according to The Straits Times.

The first case, a 47-year-old Malaysian woman who resides at Block 102 Aljunied Crescent, has recovered and is under observation at the CDC.

None of the cases travelled to Zika-affected areas recently, which suggests that the virus was transmitted locally.

Malaysia said on Sunday it has stepped up the monitoring at the two main entry points to Johor following reports of the confirmed case in Singapore.

Singapore's health ministry said it has alerted clinics and hospitals to be "extra vigilant" and report patients with symptoms associated with the virus, mainly fever and rash, Reuters reported.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told local media more imported cases are likely because Singapore is an international travel hub. And because many Zika carriers display only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all – meaning infected people may not seek treatment – local transmission of these imported cases "is also very high", he said.

Zika infections in Brazil has been linked to microcephaly, a rare birth defect, Reuters reported.

According to MOH, pregnant women should adopt strict precautions if travelling to an affected area.

It added that those working, studying or living in an affected area who are sexual partners of pregnant women should adopt safe sexual practices, such as consistent and correct use of condoms during sex, or consider abstinence throughout the women's pregnancy.

More information on Zika can be found on MOH's website here, or click here for the full statement.

candicec@sph.com.sg

What is the Zika virus?

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters

SINGAPORE - The haze situation in Singapore is expected to improve further tomorrow, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Sunday (Aug 28).

As at 8pm today, the 24-hr PSI was 69-93, in the Moderate range, and the 1-hr PM2.5 was 41-81 µg/m3, in Band I-II (Normal to Elevated).

Only two hotspots were detected in Sumatra today, said the NEA.

Thundery showers are forecast in the late morning and early afternoon for Singapore. The 1-hr PM2.5 concentration over the next 24 hours is expected to stay in Band I (Normal). Overall, the PSI for the next 24 hours is forecast to be in the Moderate range.

For updates, visit our NEA website (www.nea.gov.sg), MSS website (www.weather.gov.sg), the haze microsite (www.haze.gov.sg), mobile apps (myEnv and Weather@SG) or follow us on NEA Facebook (www.facebook.com/NEASingapore) and NEA Twitter (@NEAsg).

candicec@sph.com.sg

Haze survival guide

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Various sources

More Singaporeans are heading Down Under for their university degrees, on the back of the fall in the Australian dollar last year.

And, with Singapore recognising more degrees obtained there, numbers are expected to pick up even more.

Latest figures from the Australian High Commission show that nearly 1,800 Singaporeans started their studies at Australian universities this year, the highest figure since 2012.

This is a rise of more than 10 per cent from 2015, according to statistics. Of this, three in four are undergraduates and the rest post-graduates.

The last time the figure was at this level was in 2012, when 1,791 Singaporeans made up the intake of Australian universities.

Numbers dipped in the following years, by about 5.5 per cent in 2013 and 7.5 per cent in 2014, partly because places in local universities were increased.

The Australian dollar has weakened since last year, because of slowing global demand for the country's commodities exports.

The falling Australian dollar was one reason 18-year-old Busyra K. H. Kamuruddin went to the University of Tasmania (Utas) as a first-year law student.

"It is cheaper than in Britain," she said. "Australia is closer to home too. My older brother's application to the School of Medicine in Utas was also accepted, so I have a part of my family there while I study."

An Australian High Commission spokesman said: "We believe that one of the reasons for growth in commencements is the increased profile of Australia in Singapore last year, particularly due to the signing of the CSP (Comprehensive Strategic Partnership).

"The lower (Aussie) dollar has helped somewhat by making a quality education in Australia more affordable but other things are more important.

This includes the number of Australian universities in the world rankings... Australian qualifications are also recognised globally for employment."

Earlier this year, a new landmark agreement was reached between Singapore and Australia.

It builds on the CSP, which was first announced last year by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the then Australian Prime Minister, Mr Tony Abbott.

Under the agreement, Singapore will recognise Juris Doctor (JD) degrees from 10 Australian universities, whose law degrees are already recognised.

The JD programme is a postgraduate course one can take after earning a bachelor's degree in some other discipline.

Singapore will also recognise postgraduate medical degrees from the University of Queensland and the Australian National University, as well as 15 more allied health qualifications in occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy.

The Australian High Commission spokesman said this creates more "opportunities for Singaporeans to take these courses in Australia and then have their qualifications recognised on their return to Singapore."

Mr Justin Thia, 21, a first-year law student at Melbourne's Monash University, settled on Australia as its universities are "known internationally for their high standard of education and have been increasingly recognised in Singapore".

"Australia is also significantly closer to Singapore than Britain, allowing me to be closer to my family and friends... my brother is also studying in Melbourne."

He added: "The culture in Australia was also more interesting to me... Outdoor activities are a staple in Australia and engaging in activities such as hiking or taking road trips makes my university experience all the more exciting and memorable."

This article was first published on Aug 29, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Motorists will no longer be required to display road tax discs on the windscreens of their vehicles from Feb 15 next year.

This is because the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it will stop issuing physical road tax discs as part of its efforts to "streamline its processes".

Between now and Feb 14 next year, motorists will continue to receive their paper road tax disc when they renew their road tax. From Feb 15 next year, motorists will only receive a road tax payment notice, and no paper road tax disc will be issued.

In a statement, LTA said that motorists are still required to ensure that they have paid the requisite road tax for the year. Using a vehicle without a valid road tax is an offence and liable to a maximum fine of $2,000.

Motorist can continue to check, as well as print out proof of the validity of their road tax via the One.Motoring website.

From Thursday (Sept 1), motorists can only pay their road tax via AXS m-Stations (mobile) and e-Stations (Internet), in addition to existing electronic payment channels such as AXS Stations, the One. Motoring portal and Giro. These new payment channels will improve convenience for motorists, added LTA.

Motorists should also ensure that their original motor insurance certificate is readily available in their vehicles at all times. Those driving into Malaysia are advised to carry printed proof of the validity of their road tax in their vehicles.

sujint@sph.com.sg

As much as we appreciate good translations with nuances and context intact, there is still a special place in everyone's hearts for the hilarity that ensues with literal translations.

Not convinced?

In Singapore, the large majority of us are (more or less) fluent in two languages, with one being English, so translations to and from the language are definitely not an issue.

However, Singaporean Gregory Gung, also known as GregoryShampoo, decided to take translation to another level and literally translated Pokemon's English names into Chinese - all with a deadpan expression:

The 45-second long video has hit the funny bones of many, and has been shared over 8,400 times since its posting just 14 hours ago.

When Abra is "a piece of undergarment"

For the benefit of readers who do not understand Chinese, here's a translation of the video:

Singaporean translates Pokemon names in Chinese

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook/ GregoryShampoo

What's also interesting to note is that the Pokemon names we're used to are actually different from their Japanese origins - for example, Jigglypuff is プリン (purin), and Charmander is ヒトカゲ (hitokage), so Japanese fans might find the way we refer to Pokemon funny too!

Not just Pokemon, he's also translated well-known brands

This is not the first literal translation video he did, and just two weeks ago, he posted one where he translated the names of well-known brands - to equally funny results.

We won't do a translation like above, but here's one guaranteed to make you smile:

Thanks

Gregory seems rather active in producing videos, and we can't wait for more!

Vulcan Post is all about living life with a digital edge, up and coming startups, and people who inspire conversations.
Visit Vulcan Post for more stories.

SINGAPORE - Officials sprayed insecticide and cleared drains of stagnant water in residential areas of Singapore at high risk of further Zika infections on Monday after 41 locally transmitted cases were confirmed in the city state.

Workers wearing fumigation masks travelled methodically through high-rise public housing estates in seven separate areas of the island, inspecting plant pots closely as they sprayed insecticide via thermal fogging machines.

The health ministry on Saturday confirmed Singapore's first locally-transmitted case of Zika, with the tally rising to 41 just a day later. All of the infected people were either residents of the Aljunied district or workers at a construction site owned by GuocoLand in the area.

"We expect to identify more positive cases," the ministry said on Monday in its latest update on the outbreak.

"Given that the majority of Zika cases are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and mosquitoes in the affected areas may already have been infected, isolation of positive cases may have limited effect to managing the spread," it added.

Locally-transmitted Zika in Singapore

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

Singapore, a major regional financial centre and busy transit hub, which maintains a constant vigil against the mosquito-borne dengue virus, reported its first case of the Zika virus in May, brought in by a middle-aged man who had been to Brazil.

GuocoLand, which is headquartered in Singapore and has developments across Asia, was ordered on Saturday to stop work on the building site where 36 of the infected people worked. It will remain closed until the company rectifies the conditions that allowed mosquitoes to breed and steps up preventative measures, the health ministry said.

The Zika virus, carried by mosquitoes, was detected in Brazil last year and has since spread across the Americas. It poses a risk to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects. It has been linked in Brazil to more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly, where babies are born with abnormally small heads and brains.

The World Health Organisation said on Sunday it did not know "which lineage of Zika is circulating" in Singapore or "what the level of population immunity is to this lineage of Zika in Asia".

What is the Zika virus?

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, The Straits Times, The New Paper, NEA

Singapore's health ministry said some 19 mosquito breeding habitats were detected and destroyed in its first sweep of the Aljunied area on Sunday when it fumigated around a third of the 6,000 homes.

"I feel afraid," said Ng Kai Yee, an 18-year-old female student who lives near the construction site believed to be a source of the outbreak. "I heard quite a lot about how harmful Zika virus is to girls, especially pregnant women."

Authorities have urged those living and working in the risk areas, especially pregnant women, to monitor their health and seek medical attention if they are unwell.

Of the 41 people known to have been infected, 34 have already fully recovered. Only the first case reported was a woman.

SINGAPORE - Singapore tycoon Peter Lim has lodged a police report after his name was used by "parties with possible ill intentions" in online get-rich-quick scams.

In a statement today (Aug 29), Mr Lim's firm, Kestrel Capital, said reports that link the billionaire "to certain investment methods" have been circulating online.

A webpage that the firm referred to ran the headline "Peter Lim reveals easy work at home trick" and claimed that readers can "quit your job in 30 days".

The poorly made webpage tried to link readers to malicious websites that it masked with fake links that purport to point to Facebook pages of people who "endorsed" the scam.

Another page that ran under the headline "Peter Lim shares huge opportunity for Singaporeans" listed "12 things that he has, that you'll wish you had too".

The statement from Mr Lim's firm warned users to protect themselves against the "false and misleading claims" and asked users not to circulate them.

A report last year said that Mr Lim, 63, has a net worth of $3 billion and is the 11th richest man in Singapore.

sinsh@sph.com.sg

Peter Lim buys Valencia

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, WOOHOO! Experience, AFP, Reuters

SINGAPORE - The spike in the number of Internet love scams here, which nearly doubled compared to the same period last year, has the police concerned.

In a statement today (Aug 29), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said revealed that there were 298 Internet love scam cases in the first half of this year. This is a 98.7 per cent increase from the 150 cases recorded in the first half of last year.

As much as $11.6 million have been lost to the scams in the first six months this year, Lianhe Wanbao reported. A 58-year-old woman reportedly lost $1.2 million.

The Chinese newspaper said that the woman got to know "Peter" on Facebook in January this year, and started an online relationship with him.

"Peter", who claimed to be from Malaysia, told her that he wanted to invest US$5 million (S$6.8 million) in Singapore, but his funds were impounded in Malaysia. He urged the woman to transfer money into his account on numerous occasion.

"Peter" became uncontactable after the woman transferred a total of $1.2 million.

Hundreds of local men fell for sex scams and lost thousands

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Internet screengrabs, Lianhe Wanbao, Stomp

MHA said in the statement that crime in Singapore remains low, and total number of cases fell by 2.1 per cent in the first half of the year, compared to the same period last year. However, Internet-related scams are on the rise. "Cheating involving e-commerce" cases were up 13.4 per cent to 1,145 cases between January to June.

Wanbao said that a person claiming to be selling concert tickets on e-commerce platform Carousell disappeared after a buyer transferred $900 into her account.

The daily also cited a case where a 65-year-old woman was conned of $2.38 million in a "DHL" phone scam.

The woman had reportedly received a call claiming that 36 counterfeit credit cards had been found in a parcel with her name. She was instructed to transfer money into the account of the conman in order to "clear her name".

See also: 11 scams that are happening in Singapore now

sinsh@sph.com.sg

Top 7 scams in Singapore and more

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

www.scamalert.sg

SINGAPORE - Singapore clinics Monday reported more Zika infections, bringing the suspected total to 50, as mosquito-fighting teams saturated the scene of the outbreak.

Inspectors from the National Environment Agency checking for mosquito-breeding sites visited homes in the eastern Aljunied Crescent district where 41 cases - mostly foreign workers at a condominium construction project - have been confirmed.

Nearly all have recovered but nine more suspected cases of Zika virus infection - both citizens and foreign workers - were reported Monday by two community clinics, local media said.

These cases were also in Aljunied.

"It's quite frightening because I thought Zika is something happening on the other side of the world. But now it's right here in my neighbourhood," customer service manager Josephine Kwan, who lives in the affected suburb, told AFP.

Locally-transmitted Zika in Singapore

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

Zika causes only mild symptoms for most people, such as fever and a rash, and has been detected in 58 countries particularly Brazil.

But in pregnant women, it can cause microcephaly, a deformation in which babies are born with abnormally small brains and heads.

Singapore, despite the highest health care standards in Southeast Asia, is a densely populated tropical island with frequent rain. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water that collects in construction sites, open space and homes.

It is also one of Asia's cleanest cities but has a chronic problem with dengue fever, which is spread by the same Aedes mosquito that carries the Zika virus.

Singapore's first reported case of Zika in May involved a man who had visited Sao Paulo in Brazil earlier in the year.

But all of the latest cases involved local transmission.

The Straits Times newspaper quoted local doctor Tan Thai Keng, whose surgery reported four of the latest cases, as saying more women were visiting the clinic as news of the outbreak spread.

They included a pregnant 32-year-old.

"She wanted to find out whether she had the virus in her blood or not. So we took her blood here and sent it to the lab at Tan Tock Seng," he said, referring to the main national hospital for communicable diseases.

Neighbouring countries took steps to prevent the spread of the disease from Singapore.

Taiwan on Monday issued a travel advisory for Singapore, urging travellers to watch out for mosquito bites and cautioning pregnant women and those planning to conceive to postpone trips to all areas with Zika cases.

Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have also said health officers will closely monitor arrivals from Singapore, which was visited by 15 million people in 2015.

In Singapore, inspectors armed with insecticide spray cans on Monday visited high-rise public housing flats to check toilets and other areas for stagnant water.

Owners of homes found with such sites can be fined up to $5,000.

Contractors in protective gear carried out insecticide fogging in public places, pumping a mosquito-killing mist over large areas on the ground.

Of the 41 Zika cases confirmed Sunday by the government, 36 were foreigners working at a condominium construction site.

Work was halted at the site on Saturday after environment agency officers found that housekeeping was "unsatisfactory with potential breeding habitats" for mosquitoes.

The latest global outbreak of the disease began in Brazil in early 2015.

What is the Zika virus?

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, The Straits Times, The New Paper, NEA

SINGAPORE - Singapore confirmed 15 more cases of locally-transmitted infections with the Zika virus late on Monday (Aug 29), having announced 41 over the weekend, The Straits Times newspaper reported, citing the health ministry.

Thirteen of the new cases were people who lived or worked in the same area where the virus was first detected.

The Zika virus, carried by mosquitoes, was detected in Brazil last year and has since spread across the Americas.

It poses a risk to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects. It has been linked in Brazil to more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly, where babies are born with abnormally small heads and brains.

See also: Singapore wages war on mosquitoes as 9 more suspected Zika cases reported

Locally-transmitted Zika in Singapore

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

What is the Zika virus?

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, The Straits Times, The New Paper, NEA

SINGAPORE - The fourth edition of the CapitaLand Commercial Trust (CCT) Eco Race this year has raised $27,000 for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF).

The amount will go to STSPMF's beneficiaries - children from underprivileged families.

More than 370 people gathered in the Central Business District on Saturday (Aug 27), including four teams from the Building Construction Authority (BCA) and two teams from the National Environment Agency.

Finishing first was a team from the Economic Development Board, while teams from JP Morgan and Fitness First jointly clinched second place. The three teams won prizes worth a total of about $8,000.

Started in 2000 by The Straits Times, the SPMF is a registered charity supporting about 14,000 children and youth from low-income families yearly. It has since disbursed almost $50 million, helping more than 140,000 youngsters.

CapitaLand Hope Foundation (CHF), CapitaLand's philanthropic arm, matched dollar-for-dollar the total registration fees collected from the race participants. In addition, CHF will donate $10 per kilometer per participant, for every team that pledged to complete the race of approximately 6km.

Ms Lynette Leong, Chief Executive Officer of CCT Management Limited, said: "While we provide quality conducive environments for our tenants in our environmentally-sustainable office buildings, CCT is equally committed to promoting the benefits of active, healthy and sustainable living amongst our tenant community. We also provide opportunities for our busy tenants to engage with and give back to the community in meaningful ways."

Said Ms Tan Bee Heong, General Manager of STSPMF: "The donations will go a long way in providing school pocket money to our children from low-income families. Not only will funds be raised to help our children with their school pocket money, CCT's kind gesture of fulfilling 650 wishes of beneficiaries this year-end will bring much joy to them during the festive season."

The scent of citronella hung heavy in the air outside Geylang Methodist School (Primary) yesterday morning, where parents were clearly not taking any chances with their children's health.

Several pupils sported stick-on mosquito patches, while others smelt strongly of the fragrant oil used to ward off the insects.

Geylang Methodist School (Secondary) principal Wee Tat Chuen said both schools, which are in the Aljunied area, fumigated their compounds last Saturday to prevent mosquito breeding.

"Both schools have reached out to the parents to share on preventive efforts and advised them to get their children to apply mosquito repellent for further protection," he said.

Across the Aljunied area where 56 people have been diagnosed with the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which may be further transmitted here, schools and residents are leaving no pail unturned in their bid to keep mosquitoes away.

Locally-transmitted Zika in Singapore

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

Several childcare centres in the Housing Board blocks around the cluster are all stepping up precautions against mosquitoes.

Ms Chewy Teng, principal of Pu Ti Child Care Centre in Aljunied Crescent, said: "We have mosquitoes here every year around this time, when the weather is hot and wet. This was my big concern even before Zika."

The centre has tried various ways to keep the insects at bay, including spraying insect repellent thrice a day and burning mosquito coils on weekends, when the children are not around. On hearing of the latest outbreak, the team also bought stick-on mosquito patches for the 90 children in the centre.

Madam Margaret Chua, executive director of Bethel Community Services, oversees a kindergarten, as well as three centres caring for infants, children and students respectively.

She and the other teachers rushed to buy plug-in mosquito repellent yesterday morning, and have stopped taking children out to the playground for the time being.

"I think the important thing is that we don't have any breeding grounds, so we've told our housekeeper to be extra careful to cover the toilet bowls and so on," she said.

Some caregivers - such as housewife Seet Ching Har, 60 - prefer to err on the side of caution.

What is the Zika virus?

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, The Straits Times, The New Paper, NEA

Speaking to The Straits Times after dropping her three-year-old granddaughter off at Pu Ti Child Care Centre, Madam Seet said: "When you have small children, you have to be a bit more careful."

In fact, she packed four bottles of insect repellent for the short trip from her house to the centre.

"I sprayed her arms and legs before leaving the house, and I even sprayed the pram. I would have made her wear a raincoat (to prevent bites) but she didn't want to," Madam Seet said.

While confirmed cases have been picked up only in the Aljunied area, places from Khatib Camp to Joo Chiat have also come under scrutiny as some of the infected live or work in other parts of Singapore.

Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin, MP for Marine Parade GRC, visited Joo Chiat yesterday to give out leaflets on anti-mosquito measures.

Residents of Joo Chiat, an active dengue cluster, said they are keeping their guard up. Housewife Shiralee Fernando, 41, said: "We're still vigilant as a neighbourhood... and no one I know is pregnant here, so that's a relief."

Pregnant women are most vulnerable to Zika as the virus can cause unborn babies to develop a condition known as microcephaly, or abnormally small heads.

Madam Tan Sai Keow, 65, said she put a mosquito patch on her nine-year-old grandson yesterday before taking him to school.

"After hearing the news, I was more worried, but I have already put the mosquito patches in his room at home, so I'm not concerned about him getting bitten there."

This article was first published on Aug 30, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Malaysia has stepped up precautionary measures following Singapore's first locally transmitted case of the Zika virus.

Locally-transmitted Zika in Singapore

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

"There's a high risk of the virus entering our country and we have to accept these risks," Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam told reporters yesterday.

Malaysia has set up thermal scanners - which can detect fever - at its airports and the two major entry points in Johor, where an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 people move daily across the border with Singapore.

Only those travelling by bus between Johor and Singapore would have to walk past the scanners. Those travelling by car, train or motorcycle would be given pamphlets on the Zika virus.

"There is no simple way of screening all of them," said Datuk Seri Dr Subramaniam. "Asymptomatic patients are a bigger problem because they do not know they have it in their body and they can cause it to spread to other people. It is a risk."

He urged those returning from countries with reported cases of Zika infection to have themselves tested voluntarily at major hospitals.

Twelve government hospitals and four public health laboratories are available nationwide to conduct such tests, which are free for citizens. It takes from six hours to a day for the results to be known. Residents of Johor can head to Hospital Sultanah Aminah or the state's public health lab in Johor Baru.

Malaysia's Health Ministry has also advised the public to adopt the same measures to combat the Aedes mosquito, which not only spreads Zika but dengue and chikungunya as well. The measures include the use of mosquito repellent, keeping homes clean and eliminating stagnant water.

"If we address the issue of Aedes, we are sorting this issue of Zika as well," said Malaysia's national adviser on infectious diseases, Dr Christopher Lee.

What is the Zika virus?

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, The Straits Times, The New Paper, NEA

The Health Ministry has conducted 784 blood tests for the Zika virus since July last year, with none confirmed thus far. Athletes who returned from the recently concluded Olympic Games in Brazil, a country hit hard by Zika, were tested and all the results were negative.

The ministry has also boosted efforts to combat the mosquito menace with increased fogging in all states, especially Johor.

"We'll continue this for a period of time until Singapore's situation calms down, with no new cases," said Dr Subramaniam.

Singapore has confirmed 56 cases of locally transmitted Zika, mostly involving workers from a construction site.

Dr Subramaniam, in spite of the concerns over Zika, noted that dengue remains the larger health issue for Malaysia.

"Dengue is still a bigger problem than Zika for us because dengue can cause death," he said.

Malaysia has seen a rise in dengue cases in the last two weeks of August, with a weekly average of 1,900 to 2,000 cases. Both Singapore and Malaysia are in the grip of a dengue outbreak with a record number of cases.

SINGAPORE - A worker from China died on Sunday (Aug 28) at a Woodlands construction site, bringing the workplace death toll this year to at least 49.

The 33-year-old fell seven storeys while working at the Woodlands Avenue 12 site, which is run by Wee Hur Construction.

His death came four days after a workplace health and safety conference last week, at which Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say warned the workplace death rate was likely to go up this year.

The accident occurred at project Mega@Woodlands, which according to a signboard at the site, is an eight-storey industrial factory development slated for completion in the fourth quarter of 2017.

A Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesman said that at around 9am on Sunday, a team of workers had been installing formwork - moulds into which concrete is poured - for a column on the seventh storey of the building.

One of the formwork panels fell over the edge of the building, taking the victim with it.

Police said they received a call for assistance at 10am. Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

The Straits Times understands the worker was wearing a safety harness at the time of the accident, but it is not clear if it was clipped onto a lifeline.

MOM is investigating the cause of the accident and has issued a stop work order on all formwork and lifting operations at the site.

Said the spokesman: "Employers and contractors are reminded to establish and effectively implement clear procedures to safely install and dismantle formwork.

"If lifted by a mobile or tower crane, a formwork panel should always be properly supported and secured prior to being released, to prevent accidental toppling."

A spokesman from Wee Hur said the worker was employed by one of their sub-contractors.

"The deceased's family has been notified and the company is arranging bereavement support to help the family tide through this difficult period."

He added: "Wee Hur is committed to workplace safety and has instructed its safety officers, foremen and its sub-contractors to exercise greater caution at (the) worksite."

This article was first published on August 29, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Madam Gurusamy Intrany has had her fair share of struggles earlier in life, from seeing her father die when she was a teenager, to going through a divorce after her husband of 13 years had an affair, and undergoing three surgical operations in one day.

Despite all these, the spirited 65-year-old has proven to be a pillar of support today, not just for her family, but also for many others.

She still takes care of her 93-year-old mother-in-law who lives with her, counsels couples on the verge of divorce, donates to old folks' homes in Singapore and India, and gives money to the poor she sees on the streets.

Last Saturday, she was one of six winners of the Silent Heroes award, given out by the Hillview Civilians Club at its 52nd anniversary dinner at Shangri-La Hotel.

Now in its third year, the award honours people who help to improve the lives of others without expecting recognition or reward.

The organisers look out for those who have shown significant concern for the elderly, sick or disadvantaged, as well as those with serious long-term disabilities who have worked towards achieving their goals.

There is also a Pioneers of Promise category, which recognises Singaporeans from the pioneer generation who use their skills to raise awareness about social issues, promote harmony, and encourage youth to work towards their goals.

Madam Intrany, one of the winners in the Pioneers category, buys chicken rice for the homeless elderly or disabled on the streets, and gives them clothes or $5 to $10.

She also occasionally visits Tai Pei Old People's Home and Sree Narayana Mission with food and small sums of money for the elderly residents.

"As long as I am alive, I like to help these people because they have also suffered," said the mother of four and grandmother of three.

"My mother was a good person who worked very hard for her nine children as a cleaner and cook. She taught us to help others even though we might not have much."

Madam Intrany earns $2,000 to $3,000 each month, from being an astrologer and helping out with paperwork part-time at an engineering company.

Mr Ong Ye Kung, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), who was guest of honour at the event, lauded the award winners as heroes "who display humility and selflessness".

Hillview Civilians Club was set up in 1964 as a football club, but has evolved into a group that runs social outreach programmes for youth, the elderly and the disabled.

Mr M P Sellvem, the club's president, said its mission has been to cultivate "the resilience of the kampung spirit" among Singaporeans.

"Through this initiative, we believe we can inspire more people to think and do good," he said.

This article was first published on August 30, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Australia, Taiwan and South Korea advised pregnant women and those attempting to get pregnant to avoid travel to Singapore after an outbreak of the Zika virus infected more than 50 people in the city-state.

The outbreak and the warnings come as a potential blow to tourism in one of the world's busiest travel hubs, which is already struggling to recover from a slump amid tepid global growth.

Singapore reported its first case of locally-transmitted Zika at the weekend, and the number of reported infections of the mosquito-borne virus has since jumped to 56. At least three dozen of those have since made a full recovery.

The Zika virus was detected in Brazil last year and has since spread across the Americas. It poses a risk to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects. It has been linked in Brazil to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly, a rare birth defect where babies are born with abnormally small heads and brains.

The 56 confirmed cases in Singapore include only one woman.

Locally-transmitted Zika in Singapore

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

Taiwan, Australia and South Korea advised pregnant women and those planning pregnancy to postpone trips to Singapore. Those returning from the country should avoid pregnancy for two months. South Korean travellers will receive text messages with the warning when they arrive in Singapore.

Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore's closest neighbours, have stepped up protective measures following the outbreak, introducing thermal scanners at airports and border checkpoints.

Singapore's Tourism Board said it was monitoring developments, adding the city state remained a "safe travel destination", and it was premature to consider any impact.

More than 55 million people pass through Singapore's Changi airport every year. In the first half of this year, tourism arrivals reached almost 8.2 million, compared with around 7.3 million in the same period of last year.

Online retailer Lazada Singapore said on Tuesday it has seen sales of mosquito repellent and other deterrent products rise fivefold over the past three days compared to a week ago.

What is the Zika virus?

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Reuters, The Straits Times, The New Paper, NEA

Authorities continued to inspect thousands of homes in seven parts of Singapore, including five foreign worker dormitories, on Tuesday. Officials sprayed insecticide and removed potential mosquito breeding habitats such as stagnant water and moist dirt from drains.

The majority of those infected with Zika in Singapore were foreign workers, but the government has not disclosed their nationalities. The High Commission of Bangladesh, which represents the largest community of foreign workers, said none of the workers were Bangladeshis.

The Chinese and Myanmar embassies in Singapore said they had not been notified by Singapore whether their citizens were among those infected. The Thai embassy did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Foreign workers in Singapore, employed mostly in the construction and marine industries, often work 12-14 hours a day and take few days off. They are unlikely to travel often.

The GuocoLand construction site, where the infected workers were found, remained closed on Tuesday morning, according to a Reuters photographer at the scene. It was ordered on Sunday to halt work and rectify the conditions that allowed mosquitoes to breed.

Regional health experts said the Zika virus is likely to be significantly under-reported across tropical Southeast Asia as local health authorities fail to conduct adequate screening.

See also: Expectant mother moves out of area

See also: How doctors at Sims Drive clinic pieced puzzle together

SINGAPORE - Two Bangladeshi workers detained under the Internal Security Act in April pleaded guilty today (Aug 30) to charges of financing terrorism.

They had previously denied the charges and claimed trial.

Zzaman Daulat, 34, and Mamun Leakot Ali, 29, were among six workers who were charged in May under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act.

The group called themselves the Islamic State in Bangladesh and were collecting or providing money to fund terrorist attacks back home.

Mamun was the group's deputy leader, while Zzaman was in the group's security council, The Straits Times reported.

The other four pleaded guilty and were sentenced in June.  It was the first time anyone had been convicted under the Act.

Zzaman and Mamum were jailed 24 months and 30 months respectively, with their sentences backdated to May 27.

Their lawyers, Noor Marican and Ramesh Tiwary who represented them pro bono, pleaded for lenient sentences, saying both men were deeply apologetic to Singapore for causing fear and harm through their actions.

Two other Bangladeshi men detained in April have not been formally charged.

candicec@sph.com.sg

27 radicalised Bangladeshis arrested under ISA

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Ministry of Home Affairs

SINGAPORE - Air quality in Singapore is expected to remain in the Moderate range on Wednesday, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).

The PSI for Tuesday has been in the Good to Moderate range, with the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration over the next 24 hours expected to remain in Band I (Normal).

As at 7pm, the 24-hr PSI was 42-56, and the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings was 4-15 µg/m3, in Band I (Normal).

There were showers in parts of Sumatra today, with four hotspots detected in Sumatra and no visible haze.

According to NEA, the prevailing winds are forecast to blow from the southeast or south tomorrow.

Thundery showers are expected in the late morning and afternoon for Singapore.

candicec@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Singapore has condemned the attack on the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Aug 30, 2016.

"Such attacks against a foreign Embassy, which is a diplomatic compound protected under the Vienna Convention, cannot be condoned. We wish the injured a speedy recovery," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a statement.

Authorities said a van driven by a suicide bomber exploded after ramming through a gate at the Chinese embassy, killing the attacker and wounding at least three other people.

Officials from both China and Kyrgyzstan described the assault as a terrorist act, and Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev ordered the government to take extra counter-terrorism measures in the capital and regions.

China condemned the attack and urged Kyrgyz authorities to "quickly investigate" and determine the real situation behind the incident.

candicec@sph.com.sg