The German researcher's actions were slammed as 'inconsiderate' and 'downright foolish' by many netizens who were angered that he took his condition so lightly. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
THE German researcher who returned to Singapore from the United States with flu symptoms and only sought medical treatment a week later has come under fire from netizens who called him 'inconsiderate, selfish, and downright foolish'.
The 56-year-old man, who works at Biopolis, was diagnosed with the Influenza A (H1N1) virus on Monday night, becoming Singapore's 48th confirmed case.
Other comments on flu-hit researcher
Said lorrainetanml: 'This learned man behaves like a brainless one. Such behaviour should be told off seriously. My loved ones in S'pore could be exposed to his major wondering about. I am upset to imagine.'
Said petergoh123: 'Sadly this is not the only case. The 49th case, the 26-year old Indonesian man went shopping despite on MC. And it is clear that he has symptoms when he came back from Melbourne. Same thing for Singaporeans, student from RJC can go back to school, shopping when she has the symptoms and back from Melbourne. It is either they are inconsiderate, doesn't spare a thought for others, or they think striking H1N1 is more difficult than Toto. If this goes on, in no time, we will have a community spread.'
His actions - which included going to work, shopping, attending a function held by the French ambassador and going to a concert- were slammed as 'inconsiderate' and 'downright foolish' by many netizens who were angered that he took his condition so lightly.
Said a forum user named safety123, who was among more than 40 readers who gave their views in the Straitstimes.com discussion board on Wednesday and Thursday: 'Sooner or later we will see the spreading (of the flu) in the community. For some of the cases, symptoms had been developed in the flight or before coming back, and were not detected at airport. They just did not care and are still moving about. (This is) inconsiderate!'
Another reader named Misnomer stressed that contact tracing would be difficult as the man had come into contact with several people during the week he was moving around
'Now the Ministry of Health will have to waste taxpayers' money tracking down the passengers on the plane, the audience in the concert, the waiters and waitresses at Clarke Quay, his colleagues, the shoppers, the store assistants and cashers and their families', wrote Misnomer.
Agreeing, another forum user, GhostRider666, wrote: 'Now, it is hard to do contact tracing. It would be almost impossible to pinpoint who were there with him, Anyone who mingled with him in a crowded shopping centre or party could now be carriers of the H1N1 virus.
'And they could infect other people in Singapore. This might be the start of the disease spreading wildly on a tiny island like Singapore.'
The Ministry of Health said in a statement on Tuesday night that a number of recent patients engaged in 'extensive community activities' such as shopping, going to work and taking part in mass activities after arriving here.
In several earlier cases, patients also went to work, attending school and social gatherings, and took public transport even though they had flu symptoms and had returned from affected areas such as Melbourne.
MOH reminded the public not to travel if they were unwell.
