More cases may emerge but a major cluster unlikely: Experts

The Straits Times quoted Prof Dale Fisher, Senior Consultant, NUH Division of Infectious Diseases, Prof Teo Yik Ying, Dean of SSHSPH, and A/Prof Alex Cook, Vice-Dean of Research at SSHSPH. Prof Teo noted that having a stretch of zero community cases does not mean that we can let down our guard. He cautioned that the reality is that the public health measures that have been imposed are meant to serve two purposes. First, to prevent outbreaks in the community, and second, should there be an outbreak, the spread is slowed down sufficiently to allow contact tracing, testing and quarantining to come in to break any chains of transmissions in the community.

曾与12家庭成员聚餐 一海事工程师染疫社区保零破功 (A marine service engineer infected with Covid-19 had dinner with 12 family members, broke zero community case record streak)

​本地相隔1 5 天后出现的唯一一起社区病例， 是一名在海事公司 Master Systems Marine服务的新加坡籍男性工程师。由于他的血清检测结果呈阴性，意味着他在近期受感染，目前被列为无关联病例。

New tie-up to boost skills of those helping children from needy homes

​A scheme to help young children from low-income homes is getting a boost with a new tie-up among several partners to provide training across different fields for practitioners.

S’pore reining in virus, but don’t let guard down yet, say experts

​ST quoted comments by Prof Teo Yik Ying, Dean of SSHSPH, A/Prof Alex Cook, Vice-Dean of Research, SSHSPH, and Prof Dale Fisher of NUSMed. Although local cases seem to be tapering off, the experts cautioned that local cases may be lurking. 

• The New Paper, 24 November 2020

香港病例增加“航空泡泡”生变？民航局：新港密切联系随时通报情况 (Cases in Hong Kong increases and travel bubble changes? Civil Aviation Authority: Hong Kong and Singapore to keep close contacts and updates on situation)

Prof Teo Yik Ying, Dean of SSHSPH, said that the risk of transmission for travels to Hong Kong is higher compared to the previous month due to the rising number of cases. He shared that travellers can protect themselves by observing safety measures such as mask wearing and frequent hand washing.
 
In a separate article published in Lianhe Wanbao, Prof Dale Fisher, Senior Consultant, NUH Division of Infectious Diseases, opined that the travel bubble should not be postponed as virus transmission from Hong Kong is low with the authorities adopting contact tracing and preventive safety measures. He added that the travel bubble would help alleviate the social and economic impact of Covid-19 and many families who have been separated due to border controls.

China insists virus can be spread through food imports; others disagree

​During a coronavirus outbreak at a Beijing wholesale market in June, the Chinese health authorities pinned the blame on imported salmon, pulling hundreds of kilograms of the fatty fish off supermarket shelves and menus.

Can Covid-19 spread through frozen food or food packaging?

A/Prof Hsu Li Yang, Vice-Dean of Global Health and Programme Leader of Infectious Diseases, SSHSPH, and Prof Dale Fisher, Senior Consultant, NUH Division of Infectious Diseases, discussed why it is not necessary to screen all imported frozen food in Singapore, as well as the implications of the Sars-CoV-2 virus persisting on frozen food packaging.

本地研究：病毒可在冷冻肉存活三周 (Local study: Covid-19 virus could survive on frozen food for three weeks)

​一项本地研究显示，冠病病毒可在冷冻肉类中存活长达三个星期。根据《海峡时报》报道，新加坡杜克—国大医学院助理教授丹妮尔安德森（Danielle Anderson）与国大医院传染病科高级顾问医生戴尔·弗斯尔（Dale Fisher）教授合作，研究冠病病毒在冷藏与冷冻食物的“寿命”以及传染性。

国大医院推出 新手机应用教导糖尿病孕妇控制病情 (NUH introduces new smartphone app to coach pregnant women with GDM)

​为提升孕妇病患控制糖尿病病情的能力，约10名来自不同领域的国大医院专业人员，包括内分泌学家、产科医生、糖尿病教育者和营养师，与医药科技公司Jana Care合作，研发名为Habits-GDM的应用。

本地专家：打了冠病疫苗后 初期仍须戴口罩 (Experts: Masks would still need to be worn after vaccination)

A report from The Straits Times which cited comments from Prof Dale Fisher, Senior Consultant, NUH Division of Infectious Diseases, A/Prof Hsu Li Yang, Vice-Dean of Global Health and Programme Leader of Infectious Diseases, SSHSPH, and A/Prof Alex Cook, Vice-Dean of Research at SSHSPH. They explained who should be given priority for the COVID-19 vaccines, and how much protection these vaccines will likely give. They also gave their thoughts on whether life can revert to pre-COVID-19 days after the vaccines are rolled out.

• Lianhe Wanbao, 16 November 2020

Precious Diwali Gift

​A couple welcomed their second child who was born on Deepavali at 12.57am via emergency caesarean at NUH. The couple shared that the joy of Deepavali was heightened by the birth of their son.

食疗、胆结石与胆囊摘除三步曲 (Trilogy of diet therapy, gallstones and gallbladder removal)

​食疗在亚洲，尤其是华人社会里非常盛行。

用蛆虫清除伤口 病患盼免截右肢 (Using Maggots to clean wounds may help patient to avoid amputation)

​从没听说蛆虫可用来疗伤的长期糖尿病病患，听到医生推荐蛆清创疗法，并解释其程序和好处时，最终还是决定一试，希望救救面临截肢厄运的右脚。

One-stop Paediatrics Centre at NUH Recieves Multi Global Awards, Celebrates 10 Years of Generous Gift from Estate of Khoo Teck Puat

爱之病患者新计划下 确诊同天可接受抗逆转录病毒治疗 (New programme allows HIV patients to seek treatment on the same day of diagnosis)

​爱之病患者未来可选择在初步确诊当天就开始接受抗逆转录病毒治疗，无须再经历长达数周的焦虑和等待。