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Zika precautions in Singapore

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Both Marina Bay Cruise Centre(pictured) and Singapore Cruise Centre terminals monitoring the situation closely
With 82 cases of the mosquito-borne Zika virus confirmed in Singapore yesterday, more countries, including the US, Australia, Taiwan and South Korea, have issued warnings targeted at pregnant women or those trying to get pregnant, to avoid travel to the Republic.

Christina Siaw, ceo, Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) told SCN, 'We are monitoring the situation and will work closely with the authorities.'

Currently Star Cruises' Superstar Gemini is homeported at SCC.

Siaw assured, 'We conduct regular pest control activities at our terminals and have not found any mosquito breeding grounds'. To be on the safe side, SCC is advising passengers who are feeling unwell and have symptoms of Zika to seek medical treatment, regardless of whether they have been to Zika-affected areas.

The Americas and Caribbean have seen Zika virus outbreaks in the past year. The Zika virus poses a particular risk to pregnant women as it can cause severe birth defects in babies. Among the measures Singapore is taking is to encourage pregnant women and their partners to get tested for the Zika virus free of charge.  

Speaking on behalf of SATS-Cruers which operates the larger Marina Bay Cruise Centre, Norma de la Fuente, head of marketing & business development, said, 'SATS views the safety of its staff and the visitors to its cruise terminal as paramount in importance.  We are monitoring the situation closely and adopting measures advised by the Singapore Ministry of Health.'

The next cruise ship MBCC is expecting is Sea Princess on September 26 followed by Caledonian Sky on October 10. Singapore's peak cruise season is the northern hemisphere’s winter months, when cruise ships seek the warmer tropical waters.  

In 2015, there were more than one million cruise passenger arrivals and 385 cruise ships calling in Singapore.

The city-state gains much traction from its strategic location between East and West, with its excellent connectivity and the reliability of its port and shipping services. 

As an international shipping port it receives and processes some 130,000 vessels annually.

Singapore’s Changi Airport serves more than 100 airlines flying to some 330 cities in about 80 countries and territories worldwide. Each week, about 6,800 flights land or depart from Changi, with more than 55.4m travellers passing through.