Q: Now that the Ministry of Health is moving to mitigation measures for Influenza A(H1N1), how does it impact quarantine measures?
A: Confirmed H1N1 cases and their close contacts are still being served with Home Quarantine Orders.
As MOH is moving from containment to mitigation phase, it is progressively tightening the definition of 'close contacts' to manage the disease in a more targeted and risk-stratified manner.
Working with MOH, infectious disease specialists will use their clinical judgment to decide who constitute 'close contacts' and who should be tested.
Q: Will all who have influenza-like illness (ILI) be prescribed anti-viral medication even if they are not tested for H1N1?
A: Doctors will exercise clinical judgment in prescribing anti-virals on a case by case basis.
They will take into account the patient's medical condition, risk of developing influenza-related complications and prevalence of H1N1 in the community.
Based on MOH's latest bio-surveillance data of 10 per cent (where 1 in 10 patients with ILI would have H1N1), MOH does not in general recommend that such patients be treated with Tamiflu.
Anti-viral treatment could however be considered for contacts of confirmed cases of H1N1 or patients with travel history to affected areas or those with links to local clusters and who develop ILI symptoms and who are at high risk of developing complications.
These questions were answered by a spokesman from the Ministry of Health.
Send us your questions about Influenza A(HIN1)at tnp@sph.com.sg
