Radiation level in Singapore safe JOINT STATEMENT BY THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT RADIATION LEVEL IN SINGAPORE SAFE Agencies have measures to deal with potential impact. The Singapore Government has been following the situation at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant closely. The current assessment is that the likelihood of any radioactive plume reaching Singapore remains very low. Low risk of radioactive plume reaching Singapore 2 NEA's round-the-clock monitoring of radiation levels since the start of the accident shows an average reading of about 0.08 micro-Sieverts per hour. This is safe and is within the normal range of Singapore's natural background level. 3 Modelling studies conducted by NEA, and those carried out by the World Meteorological Organization-designated Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres for Environmental Emergency Response, continue to show that the likelihood of any radioactive plume reaching Singapore is very low. Even in the event that prevailing winds were to transport a plume to Singapore, the impact is expected to be insignificant. The radioactive concentration of the plume, after travelling the long distance, would have been significantly reduced to the normal background levels. No cause for concern over the radiation levels of food imported from Japan 4 The media reported that some food products (liquid milk and spinach) from affected regions in Japan, and fava beans exported to Taiwan, were found to have higher levels of radiation. The AVA confirmed that there are no food imports from the affected regions in Japan since the start of the incident. Nonetheless, it has stepped up its surveillance of food imports from Japan to ensure that they are safe for consumption. MOH health advisory 6 MOH continues to assess that any Singaporean who was outside the evacuation zones will not need any form of medical assessment. Transient consumption of produce and animal products at current reported levels of contamination is also unlikely to have any immediate adverse health effects. Singaporeans returning from the evacuation zone who feel unwell may wish to seek medical advice at the Emergency Department of their nearby Public Restructured Hospital (RH)[1] upon return to Singapore for medical consultation. No health reasons to screen passengers from Japan 7 The joint statement by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), on behalf of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Maritime Organization (IMO), World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO), reported that there are no health reasons that would require the screening of passengers from Japan, and there is no health risk associated with increased levels of radiation that have been detected at some airports. Nonetheless developments will be continually monitored and appropriate measures effected should the need arise. For Further Information 8 MICA has established a micro-site on www.gov.sg on the Government response to the Fukushima situation as a one-stop information portal for the public. This site contains links to FAQs, the joint statement, hotlines and useful links to relevant ministries and agencies. The microsite is also available through the www.gov.sg apps on the iPhone and Android phones, as well as the www.gov.sg mobile site. 9 For more information on the various areas of concern, please refer to the following sites and hotlines:
Find out more: Japan Earthquake: Information Updates
Jointly Issued By: Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts Date: 22 Mar 2011
For further media queries: MOH: NEA: AVA: MOT: MICA:
[1] The Restructured Hospitals are: Singapore General Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, National University Hospital, Changi General Hospital, and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Children and pregnant women are advised to go to KK Women's and Children's Hospital. |
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