13 cases of the Corona Virus have been detected up over the period three months, through random routine testing on patient’s samples with influenza-like symptoms at GPs and polyclinics.
The Sentinel Surveillance Programme
This “random testing” is a public health surveillance programme called the sentinel surveillance programme which has been ongoing since 2007. This programme is being practiced as a solution to monitor the spread of COVID-19 in the local community.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong stated “The idea is to pick up cases that otherwise would not have not been detected.”
“Under the sentinel surveillance programme, about 300 to 600 samples are tested monthly for common respiratory viruses, including influenza viruses”, said MOH.
MOH further stated that : “There is no evidence of widespread community transmission. Contact tracing is carried out for all confirmed cases.”