I was admitted to NUH for a persistent fever after taking few days of TCM medicine for cough from a Chinese Tradition Hospital near Admiralty MRT in late March 2003. It was during my admission to NUH that the unprecedented SARS virus outbreak started to spread in Singapore in early April 2003.
Due to an elderly man suspected to be infected by SARS virus being warded in the same cubicle as me in Ward 64, which resulted in the subsequent death of a few doctors and nurses who had directly attended to him and subsequently indirectly infecting other healthcare workers and patients in the Ward, I was asked to be quarantined together with the rest of patients, doctors and nurses in Ward 64 of NUH for almost a month from 8 April 2003 though I was scheduled to be discharged on 9 April 2003.
The dreadful fear of the deadly SARS virus infection had stricken the core of everyone’s heart as we were literally “locked up” in Ward 64 with new cases of infection by SARS virus being reported every 3-4 days after virus incubation period where infected patient begun to develop high fever. Those who were confirmed to be infected were immediately transferred to TTSH.
Throughout the hospital quarantine period, I was reminded by a still small voice of calm and assurance to put on a simple surgical mask whenever I left my bed to move around in the Ward. It was during that time I had all the chance and time in the world to share and encourage patients whom I met in the TV/newspaper room and corridors to believe and trust in salvation of God through the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ, while the quarantine period was repeatedly extended for another 7-9 days after a new case of SARS infection was discovered and reported in the Ward.
It was during this time that God’s words in Psalm 91 became a reality and living experience to me as I begun to understand God’s purpose of placing me in NUH Ward 64 (though I have initially rejected admission to NUH for my fever but rather preferred SGH) and to have a real supernatural encounter of His divine shield of protection.
Beside experiencing God’s divine protection throughout the quarantine period, I also received His abundant provision in the form of income remuneration for the loss of income earning for 1 month during the hospital quarantine period through the SARS Quarantine Courage Fund and Hospital Fund Assistance.
To God be the Glory.