SINGAPORE — The Republic’s handling of the Zika outbreak “represents in many cases a role model”, said a senior World Health Organization (WHO) official on Friday (Sept 2).

Singapore has confirmed 189 cases, as of 12pm Friday, since news of the first locally transmitted case emerged on Saturday. Dr Peter Salama, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, pointed out the “enormous amount of epidemiological work, of lab work, of public health work, including vector control (and) the detailed follow-up including retrospective analysis of cases in Singapore”.


“And really, we have to congratulate the transparency and the quick reporting the government of Singapore have implemented in the case of this outbreak,” said Dr Salama during a meeting in Geneva for an update on the Zika situation during and after the Olympic Games held in Brazil.

The issues discussed included the latest findings on the virus’ geographic spread, natural history, and epidemiology. Current knowledge on microcephaly, the sexual transmission of the Zika virus and Guillain-Barre syndrome – a paralysing side effect suspected to be caused by Zika virus infection – were also shared. 

Meanwhile, WHO reiterated its February position that Zika is still a public health emergency. 

In the Friday meeting, Dr Salama also said the Brazilian government has “a very similar model” to Singapore’s approach, and has been “very successfully giving (the WHO) quick and comprehensive reporting”.

“We hope all other countries can do the same,” he said.