Wuhan virus: Only two visitors per patient allowed at hospitals' general wards
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Joyce Teo Senior Health Correspondent, Joyce Teo
Hospitals in Singapore have tightened the visitor limit as a precautionary measure against the Wuhan coronavirus.
Just two visitors per patient are allowed at any one time during visiting hours at general wards. The limit can vary across hospitals.
A check with several public hospitals showed that the previous limit at the general wards was four.
This stricter rule has been in place since Jan 25, the first day of Chinese New Year. By then, the Ministry of Health (MOH) had confirmed three cases of the infection here. There are now 13 cases, all of whom are Chinese nationals from China's Hubei province.
Public hospitals here with restrictions include the National University Hospital (NUH), KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), Changi General Hospital (CGH) and Alexandra Hospital.
Mount Elizabeth Hospital and the other hospitals under the Parkway Pantai group, as well as Raffles Hospital, have also set a two-visitor limit for patients. Previously, these private hospitals did not have a limit on the number of visitors to their general wards. It is understood that the measure is a directive from MOH.
A KKH Facebook post said the measure was taken to reduce patients' possible exposure to the novel coronavirus.
At least four hospitals are also not letting young children visit patients, as children have less immunity to infections. TTSH is barring children under seven. NUH and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital will not allow those under 12 to visit, and Sengkang General Hospital those under 13.
SGH and CGH are also discouraging visitors from bringing along babies and children to wards.
The hospitals are understood to have barred visitors or caregivers with a travel history to mainland China in the past 14 days at the minimum from entering patient care areas, including wards and clinics.
Visitors are supposed to inform staff if they have a cough, fever or shortness of breath and have travelled to mainland China within the last 14 days. Those who have been to a hospital in mainland China or had close contact with a case of 2019-nCoV infection also need to inform hospital staff.
NUH said in a Facebook post that people who have travelled to China in the last 30 days will not be allowed to enter all patient care areas.
