Singapore calls Army to battle SARS, webcams to enforce home quarantine

Reuters

Singapore, April 8: Singapore has called out the military to battle the 
deadly flu-like SARS virus, and the government said on Tuesday Internet-
linked cameras might be used to enforce home quarantine orders. 

Singapore thought it had Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) 
under control but more infections in the past few days show it is 
still spreading alarmingly fast through Singapore's health system. 

Fifty Singapore Air Force (SAF) paramedics would help nurses at 
Changi International Airport screen passengers arriving from places 
hit by SARS such as Hong Kong, China, Hanoi and Toronto, the Ministry 
of Health said. 

"We have requested 100 from the SAF and we have received 50," said 
a ministry spokeswoman. 

Singapore has the world's fourth-highest number of confirmed cases of 
SARS. While around two-thirds have recovered, SARS has killed eight 
people in the city state and hundreds exposed to the disease have been 
quarantined at home to try to stop the spread. 

Health Minister Lim Hng Kiang said the Internet-linked "webcams" might 
be used to enforce the quarantines. 

"We are thinking of installing webcams in the houses of people under 
home quarantine and at certain times of the day they will have to report 
to the webcam," he said. 

Nine people have broken home quarantine since March 24, despite the 
threat of a fine of S$2,000 to S$10,000 ($1,125 to $5,624). 

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Full article at Express India ....
http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=20332

Cheers, Steve..

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