Every day, Dr Fred Dimatatac, 37, is exposed to potentially deadly viruses. Yet, he has taken only two days of medical leave in the last six years.
He can be a soothing presence or a heroic saviour if you ever have the misfortune of being admitted to Communicable Disease Centre 2 (CDC2) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
The Filipino permanent resident, who has been here for six years, is a medical officer at the hospital's infectious disease department.
He is part of a team of 10 who work on H1N1 cases.
Every day, he treats up to 20 people who have travelled to flu-affected countries and have symptoms of H1N1, such as fever and a runny nose.
He is his patients' best hope - and friend - when they are isolated from the world and wracked with fears.
At first, especially with reports of deaths in other countries, some patients were so worried they cried when they were admitted with flu symptoms, he said.
Besides carrying out a complete physical examination of the patients, Dr Dimatatac also does his best to alleviate their fears.
'We assured them that we will take care of them and that if any condition arises, we're equipped to handle it.'
He can be calm because dealing with the H1N1 virus has been very different from tackling the Sars outbreak in 2003.
Back then, he was worried because he didn't know what was happening. Sars claimed 33 lives in Singapore.
'We didn't know the behaviour of the virus, its mode of transmission and how to protect ourselves. We didn't know which infection control measures would work effectively.
'The first Sars patient was initially treated in the general ward as a case of lung infection.
'She was treated without any protection. It was only later that we put on masks and the full PPE (personal protective equipment).
'Now we know how to protect ourselves better, thanks to the Sars experience,' he said.
Any one of his patients could potentially infect him. Yet, he remains unfazed.
That's because he maintains strict infection control measures.
'I wear a visor (a piece of clear plastic that protects the eyes and the forehead), an N95 mask, a full-length gown and gloves. This is to protect us in case there's a sudden sneeze or cough.
'After examining each patient, I change into a new set of gown, gloves and visor,' said Dr Dimatatac.
As for the mask, he changes it twice a day, or whenever it gets contaminated or deformed.
He doesn't use just any mask from a box; he has to get the specific size and brand that has been determined during a mask-fitting session.
'I also wash my hands thoroughly using the seven-step method before and after examining a patient if I come into contact with his surroundings or body secretions and before any procedure.'
He washes his hands so much that they have become dry from the constant exposure to soap and alcohol.
But he accepts it as part of his job and doesn't bother with moisturiser.
'Washing hands has to be done properly. There are no short cuts,' he said.
His careful ways have paid off - he has never been infected by any of his patients.
It was his choice to be in the field of treating infectious diseases, so he does not let fear affect him.
'I think of my patients who need assurance from me. If I have fear, it will make them more uncomfortable,' said Dr Dimatatac, who is married with a 2-year-old daughter.
His wife, a paediatrician at KK Hospital, understands the nature of his work.
'Back when Sars hit Singapore, I had just arrived here. My family was very anxious and wanted me to postpone starting work,' said Dr Dimatatac.
'But it's our responsibility to go ahead and do the job of taking care of the patients, even though we are worried.'
Taxing
The current outbreak is taxing because of the many people getting screened and warded each day. Of the 76 cases investigated so far for H1N1, 15 have tested positive.
Dr Dimatatac works eight to 10 hours five days a week. He also clocks in for a few hours on weekends and even public holidays.
His time is taken up with examining new patients and going on ward rounds to check on those who are hospitalised.
Patients are given medicine to treat their symptoms and also the anti-viral medicine Tamiflu.
Three wards, each capable of holding 13 patients, are now open in CDC2 to handle H1N1-related cases. Usually, only one ward is open.
How does Dr Dimatatac feel about his work in fighting H1N1?
He said: 'It's no different from other diseases. Regardless of the disease, whether Sars, H1N1 or dengue, our aim is the same - to get the patient healed as quickly as possible.
'It's just that with certain diseases, you need to take extra precautions to prevent infection.
'But how you handle the patient is the same because people can die of any illness. Even the normal flu can cause complications.'
