By On Tuesday (28 Jan), the Ministry of National Development (MND) announced that Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) camps at Pulau Ubin would be used as a quarantine facility for those affected by the Wuhan virus.
A MND spokesman said, the Government would ensure that people served with a quarantine order would be housed at “appropriate locations”, and Pulau Ubin would be one such designated location.
In accordance with the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health (MOH), the quarantine camps would undergo a complete cleaning process to ensure safety.
The MOH spokesperson explained that the possibility of transmitting the viral coronavirus is eliminated by having individuals stay at the respective government quarantine facilities. This measure is essential as the coronavirus is easily transmittable via contact.
According to China’s National Health Commission, as of Monday there has been 4,515 confirmed Wuhan virus cases, with 976 of them considered severe. Health officials have warned that the virus was spreading at a rapid pace with the current death toll standing at 106 people.
In Singapore, there has been seven confirmed cases of those affected by the Wuhan virus.
The MND spokesperson added that these quarantine facilities represent the government’s response to manage emergencies which would be activated at any given time.
Earlier this week, three hostels at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and Singapore Management University (SMU) were allocated to be used as quarantine facilities.
The conversion of the varsity hostels to be used as quarantine facilities was announced by Education Minister Ong Ye Kung at a press conference. The Minister apologised to the affected students explaining that these measures were part of the nation’s response to emergency situations.