Oil giant Shell had a chemical leak
Singapore on January 11, 2017 02:49 PM
Certainty Observed Determined to have occurred or to be ongoing
Scope Public For general dissemination to unrestricted audiences
Severity Moderate Possible threat to life or property.
Oil giant Shell had a chemical leak at its Pulau Bukom oil and petrochemical facility on Monday (Jan 9), while a fire broke out at ExxonMobil's Jurong Island chemical plant on Sunday morning. No one was hurt in both incidents. Shell and ExxonMobil are investigating. A Shell spokesman said its chemical leak occurred in a unit that was already closed for maintenance and that "mitigating measures were immediately taken". The Singapore
Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the chemical leak on Monday afternoon. As a precautionary measure, SCDF stationed resources at the site throughout the leak containment operation carried out by Shell contractors. Shell did not say what the chemical was, citing commercial confidentiality. The spokesman added: "There is no adverse impact expected in the water or the surroundings. Shell has a health, safety, security, and environment policy and we are strongly committed to it."
The fire at ExxonMobil's chemical plant happened at 5.30am on Sunday and was put out by the SCDF and ExxonMobil's in-house emergency response team. SCDF said the fire involved residual hydrocarbon and that it had dispatched three fire engines, one red rhino, one ambulance and seven support vehicles to the plant at 100 Jurong Island Highway. An ExxonMobil spokesman said: "Safety is a core value at all our operations and facilities. We learn from all incidents and use these learnings to reinforce our commitment to continued safety improvement. "While we manage our business with the goal of preventing incidents, we are prepared for emergencies should they occur and can respond quickly and effectively."
Dead person(s) 31
Indian Ocean
Country Madagascar
Bubonic plague has killed at least 31 people in Madagascar's southern district of Befotaka Atsimo official said. "The victims are from two adjacent rural communes: 25 in one and six in another one," said local lawmaker Col Maroriky. The lawmaker said the affected areas were remote and prone to diseases and insecurity. Reports of a mysterious disease outbreak first emerged last week but it has now been confirmed as bubonic plague. Bush fires, blamed on persistent drought, have reportedly driven disease carrying rodents into villages, where they have transmitted the disease to humans. The outbreak has been aggravated by the poor local health infrastructure. Medical experts from the Health ministry and the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar in Antananarivo were deployed to the affected area on Monday. However, the bad roads from the regional capital city of Vangaindrano were reportedly impeding access to the affected populations. Mr. Maroriky urged the government to supply more drugs to contain the outbreak.
Bacteria that can cause legionnaires' disease has been found in two showers in the Parliament building, Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia has confirmed. Speaking to the Times of Malta, Dr. Farrugia confirmed that the bacteria had been found in his office shower, as well as in that of Opposition leader Simon Busuttil. The symptoms of legionnaires' disease, which can be fatal, include shortness of breath, coughing, fever, muscle aches and headaches. Dr. Farrugia said the two showers had been quarantined and the find was not expected to affect the rest of the Parliament building. Dr. Farrugia said that the problem was limited to one particular pipe that fed both his and Dr. Busuttil's showers. Legionella bacteria were first discovered inside the Parliament building last month. At the time, Dr. Farrugia said that an "emergency shock treatment" of the entire plumbing system had been carried out to eradicate any legionella traces and prevent them from spreading. There have been no reports of anyone contracting the disease from Parliament. Traces of legionnaires' bacteria were also found inside a sink in a men's bathroom at the Grandmaster's Palace several days ago.
The palace will host numerous ministerial meetings as part of Malta's six-month EU presidency. A spokesman for Malta's EU presidency said the bacteria had been found during "routine" precautionary tests. The traces were discovered inside a wash basin in one of the men's toilets. Tests carried out by the Health Department indicated there was nothing to be alarmed about, the spokesman said, and the bacteria found could be treated within three to four days. The bathroom has been sealed off and a microbiologist has been commissioned to treat the legionella, he said. Further tests will be carried out following this period to ensure that the bacteria have been eradicated. The find is not expected to disrupt any of the EU Presidency meetings, the spokesman added. The legionella bacterium is found naturally in fresh water. It can contaminate hot-water tanks and heaters and buildings' plumbing systems. It is transmitted when the contaminated water is spread in droplets small enough for people to breathe.
Africa
Country Zambia
County / State Western Province
Area Limulunga, Nalolo, Kalabo, Shangombo and Sioma districts.
Livestock and Fisheries Minister Michael Katambo says there is an outbreak of Anthrax in cattle in Limulunga, Nalolo, Kalabo, Shangombo and Sioma districts of Western Province. Mr. Katambo said the ministry has since restricted movement and quarantined cattle in the affected areas to allow for vaccinations to be conducted. Mr. Katambo explained that the disease was an endemic and usually controlled through Annual vaccinations of cattle at a cost recovery basis from the farmers, hence the ministry had intensified surveillance in all Anthrax hotspots. "Given the epidemic nature of the current outbreak that commenced in late November 2016, the Government will undertake mass vaccinations of all cattle in the affected districts to contain the outbreak and will closely monitor the situation," he said.
Mr Katambo explained that Anthrax was a killer disease of human and animals, hence the farming community was advised to make their animals available for vaccination. He added that the consumption of meat from animals that suddenly die should be avoided as it was the main mode of transmission of the disease to humans. "In animals, the disease is often characterized by sudden death and the changing of weather pattern may have contributed to the outbreak," he said. The minister also urged the people to suspect Anthrax for any cattle found dead and therefore the animal should not to be touched or consumed but reported to the nearest veterinary office. Mr Katambo further called on the general public to be vigilant and report any sudden death of cattle in all districts of Western, Central, Northern-Western and southern province. The community members, traders, and the general public were further requested to cooperate with the veterinary officials in controlling the killer disease. He said the department was taking necessary steps to contain the outbreak.
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