Poor housekeeping practices, lapses in cleaning could have led to gastroenteritis outbreaks in schools: Grace Fu

SINGAPORE: Poor housekeeping practices in colleges and lapses in cleansing might have brought on current incidents of gastroenteritis outbreaks at schooling establishments, mentioned Minister for Sustainability and the Setting Grace Fu in Parliament on Tuesday (Might 11).

Ms Fu was responding to a query from Member of Parliament Hany Soh (PAP-Marsiling-Yew Tee), who had requested for the findings from investigations performed into these incidents in addition to what motion have been taken to handle such incidents and forestall them from recurring.

"For the recent incidents at education institutions, investigations suggest that poor housekeeping practices in schools and lapses in cleaning including within schools’ in-house kitchens could have contributed to the (gastroenteritis) outbreaks," mentioned Fu.

READ: 106 youngsters hit by gastroenteritis at pre-school in Paya Lebar

Because the begin of 2021, the Singapore Meals Company (SFA) and the Ministry of Well being (MOH) have performed joint investigations into 27 incidents of gastroenteritis outbreaks involving greater than 800 folks, mentioned Ms Fu.

Of those incidents, 18 had been related to schooling establishments, with 13 in pre-schools alone. 

"Despite only being four months into the year, this is reaching the level of 2019, when 18 out of 33 gastroenteritis incidents in education institutions occurred in pre-schools,"  Ms Fu mentioned.

READ: Caterer Chilli Api’s operations suspended after 82 folks fall ailing with gastroenteritis

For one, she famous that "ineffective" cleansing brokers reminiscent of all-purpose cleaners had been used to sanitise areas contaminated with vomit and faeces. 

"The use of all-purpose cleaners instead of disinfectants such as diluted household bleach will not be able to effectively clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces," Ms Fu added.

"Chopping boards and knives for raw meat and cooked food were also found kept together instead of separately, thus increasing the risk for cross-contamination."

Authorities businesses together with MOH, the Ministry of Schooling (MOE), the Early Childhood Growth Company and SFA, are working carefully to undertake a "multi-pronged approach" to cut back such incidents in schooling establishments, mentioned Ms Fu.

"We are particularly concerned about pre-schools, given that young children are more vulnerable," she mentioned.

Measures which might be put into place embody issuing colleges with tips and advisories on environmental hygiene and good meals security practices, well being screening of workers and college students, and briefings on good cleansing practices, private hygiene and meals security practices for lecturers, meals handlers and cleaners, mentioned Ms Fu.

As well as, the ministry may also implement the environmental sanitation regime for premises reminiscent of pre-schools underneath the Environmental Public Well being Act later this 12 months, as beforehand introduced.

"It is a collective effort to combat (gastroenteritis) outbreaks in our education institutions. Education institutions must play their part to keep their students safe by up-keeping high standards of environmental and personal hygiene, and food safety at all times," mentioned Ms Fu.

"Parents and caregivers should also keep their sick children at home until they recover, so as to facilitate a healthy and safe environment for all students."