S’pore Food Agency & MOH Investigating Outbreak Of Typhoid Fever in S’pore

Whenever the name, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) pops up on the news, you know it’s not for anything good.

Because most times, their work is only noticed when something bad happened.

Kind of like cleaners, if you ask me.

And this time isn’t anything different.

Food Authorities Investigating Outbreak Of Typhoid Fever in S’pore

First thing first, what’s typhoid fever?

It’s a condition caused by Salmonella typhi, a type of bacterial infection.

And it spreads when victims take in food or liquid contaminated by faeces and urine of people carrying the bacteria.

In other words, these people didn’t wash their hands properly after going to the toilet. And if you kena, you’ve eaten someone’s pee or sh*t.

Food items that can be contaminated by the bacteria include:

• Raw (unpasteurised) milk
• Raw (unpasteurised) milk products
• Seafood
• Fresh fruits
• Fresh vegetables

SFA & MOH Investigating Outbreak of Typhoid Fever

According to reports, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has received 18 cases of typhoid fever in Singapore.

The symptoms of the patients developed between 13 Jul and 4 Aug.

It was added that all 18 patients are in stable condition, and 14 of them has been discharged from the hospital.

Both agencies announced that they’ll be looking into the situation.

The patients will be interviewed and their steps will be traced, including where they ate, drank water and more.

Patients who handle food as part of their daily job will not be allowed to go back to work until they’re fully recovered.

Symptoms Of Typhoid Fever

Feeling feverish? Not sure if it’s a common fever or typhoid? Here’s what they said are the symptoms of typhoid fever:

• Prolonged fever
• Headache
• Body aches
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation

The worst part is, all of these symptoms are pretty common.

So if you find your fever not breaking, make your way to a hospital to get a more accurate diagnosis.

Typhoid fever is treatable with antibiotics so make sure you check if your fever feels iffy.

Some Tips For Prevention Of Typhoid Fever:

• Wash and peel raw fruit or vegetables
• Cook food thoroughly
• Avoid raw (unpasteurised) milk or foods made from raw milk
• Wash your hands and kitchen utensils such as knives and cutting boards thoroughly before handling food
• Use separate sets of knives and cutting board for raw and cooked food.