(Singapore, Feb 6, 2020) Singapore has designated the status of the coronavirus outbreak here as Yellow – which generally means that, on the whole, life can go on as normal, after 28 cases have been confirmed locally.
However, as medical practitioners are on the lookout for suspect cases who have recently been in China, Singapore is likely to see more cases that will need to be investigated, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has said.
So far, MOH has confirmed four additional cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection in Singapore. Of these, three cases are linked to the cluster of local transmission announced on Feb 4, and one is an imported case involving a Chinese tourist from Wuhan.
MOH maintains its statement that there is as yet no evidence of widespread community transmission in Singapore.
According to MOH, cases 22 and 23 are male Singapore Citizens aged 41 and 17 respectively. They were among the Singaporeans who had been evacuated from Wuhan on 30 January. They are now warded in isolation rooms at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
The Case 24, a 32 year-old female Singapore Citizen, went to NCID on 3 February, and was confirmed to have 2019-nCoV infection on 4 February at about 2pm. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
While she had previously reported that she was asymptomatic when she went to NCID, she subsequently informed NCID on 4 February night that she had developed a fever on 30 January.
Prior to hospital admission, the case stayed at her home at Buangkok Green,and worked at Jalan Besar. She visited Hougang Polyclinic on 30 January, and went to a supermarket near her home.
Case 25, a 40 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to China, is the husband of Case 24. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
The case reported that he developed a fever on 24 January. He visited Hougang Polyclinic with his wife on 30 January, and self-presented at NCID on 3 February, where he was immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed 2019-nCoV infection on 4 February at about 8pm.
Prior to hospital admission, the case stayed at his home at Buangkok Green, and worked at Diamond Industries Jewellery Company at Harbour Drive which was visited by the same tour group from Guangxi. He indicated that he had visited Pasir Panjang Hawker Centre and had travelled by public transport. The risk of infection from transient contact, such as on public transport or in public places, is assessed to be low.
Case 26 is a 42 year-old female Chinese national who arrived in Singapore from Wuhan on 21 January, and is the daughter of Case 13. As she was symptomatic, she was conveyed by ambulance to NCID on the same day as her mother, and immediately isolated. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. Subsequent test results confirmed 2019-nCoV infection on 4 February at about 8pm.
Cases 27 and 28 are family members of Case 19[2] who have no recent travel history to China. Case 27 is a 45 year-old male Singapore Citizen who is the husband of Case 19. He was tested positive for 2019-nCoV infection on 5 February at about 2pm, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
Case 28 is a six month-old male Singapore Citizen who is the child of Cases 19 and 27. He was tested positive for 2019-nCoV infection on 5 February at about 2pm, and is currently warded in an isolation room at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
MOH says it has initiated epidemiological investigations and contact tracing to identify individuals who had close contact with the cases. It will continue to monitor the situation closely.
