Five more cases Discharged, Three new cases of COVID-19 Infection Confirmed

1.     Five more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospital today (Cases 1, 32, 33, 44 and 55). In all, 34 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital.

2.     As of 19 February 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified three additional cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore. Of these, one is linked to The Life Church and Missions Singapore and one is linked to Grace Assembly of God. Contact tracing of the remaining case is underway to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to China.

Links between previous cases found

3.     Further epidemiological investigations and contact tracing have uncovered links between previously announced and new cases. This was made possible with the assistance of the Singapore Police Force.

     a) Four of the locally transmitted confirmed cases (Cases 31, 33, 38 and 83), as well as Cases 8 and 9, are linked to The Life Church and Missions Singapore (146B Paya Lebar Road).

     b) Nine of the confirmed cases (Cases 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28, 34 and 40) are linked to Yong Thai Hang (24 Cavan Road).

     c) Three of the confirmed cases (Cases 30, 36 and 39) are linked to the private business meeting held at Grand Hyatt Singapore from 20 to 22 January.

     d) Five of the confirmed cases (Cases 42, 47, 52, 56 and 69) are linked to the Seletar Aerospace Heights construction site.

     e) 22 of the confirmed cases (Cases 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 73, 74, 78, 80, 81 and 84) are linked to the Grace Assembly of God.

4.     Investigations on these clusters are ongoing. In addition to the clusters, our investigations have identified the following links between cases:

• Case 44 is linked to Cases 13 and 26;

• Case 72 is linked to Cases 59 and 79;

• Case 50 is linked to Cases 55, 65 and 77; and

• Case 75 is linked to Case 41.

5.     Contact tracing is underway for the other eight locally transmitted cases to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to mainland China.

About the confirmed cases

Case 82

6.     Case 82 is a 57 year-old female Singapore Citizen with no recent travel history to China. She is currently warded in an isolation room at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH).

7.     She reported onset of symptoms on 9 February and had sought treatment at Jurong Polyclinic on 10 February and 14 February, as well as a general practitioner (GP) clinic on 12 February. She went to the emergency department at NTFGH on 13 February and 15 February, and was admitted as a dengue patient in a general ward on 15 February. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 18 February afternoon, and she was immediately transferred to an isolation room.

8.     As a precautionary measure, the patients who had shared the same room as the case while she was in the general ward have been transferred to single rooms. They have been tested for COVID-19 infection, and the results are pending. So far, none of the contacts have any respiratory symptoms. Contact tracing of NTFGH staff who had been in contact with the case is underway. The room has also been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

9.     Prior to hospital admission, she had mostly stayed at her home at Jurong West Street 41, except to seek medical treatment.

Case 83

10.     Case 83 is a 54 year-old male Singapore Citizen with no recent travel history to China, but who travels frequently to Malaysia for work purposes. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 19 February morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 84

11.     Case 84 is a 35 year-old female Singapore Citizen with no recent travel history to China. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 19 February morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is linked to Case 66[1]. 

Case 80 (Announced on 18 February)

12.     Case 80 is a 38 year-old female Singapore Citizen with no recent travel history to China. She is currently warded in an isolation room at the National University Hospital (NUH). She is linked to Case 66.

13.     She reported onset of symptoms on 4 February and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on 4 February and 10 February. She was referred to NUH for a chest X-ray on 11 February, and went back to NUH again on 17 February. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 18 February morning.

14.     Prior to hospitalisation, she had gone to work at NUH, where she performs an administrative function, and had not interacted with patients since onset of symptoms. She stays at Fernvale Link.

Case 81 (Announced on 18 February)

15.     Case 81 is a 50 year-old male Singapore Citizen with no recent travel history to China. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. He is linked to the cluster at Grace Assembly of God.

16.     He reported onset of symptoms on 16 February and had been conveyed by ambulance to NCID following a phone consultation with a GP on 17 February. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 18 February morning.

17.     Prior to hospitalisation, he had mostly remained at his home at Lower Delta Road. 

Update on condition of confirmed cases

18.     To date, a total of 34 cases have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital. Of the 50 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving. Four are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

Update on contact tracing for confirmed cases

19.     Contact tracing for the confirmed cases is ongoing. Once identified, MOH will closely monitor all close contacts. As a precautionary measure, they will be quarantined for 14 days from their last exposure to the patient. In addition, all other identified contacts who have a low risk of being infected will be under active surveillance, and will be contacted daily to monitor their health status.

20.     As of 19 February 2020, 12pm, MOH has identified 2,593 close contacts who have been quarantined. Of these, 1,172 are currently quarantined, and 1,421 have completed their quarantine.

Health advisory

21.     Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to Hubei Province and all non-essential travel to Mainland China.

22.     All travellers should monitor their health closely for two weeks upon return to Singapore and seek medical attention promptly if they feel unwell. Travellers should inform their doctor of their travel history. If they have a fever or respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath), they should wear a mask and call the clinic ahead of the visit.

23.     Travellers and members of the public should adopt the following precautions at all times: 

• Avoid close contact with people who are unwell or showing symptoms of illness;

• Observe good personal hygiene;

• Practise frequent hand washing with soap (e.g. before handling food or eating,

  after going to toilet, or when hands are dirtied by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing);

• Wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms such as a cough or shortness of breath;

• Cover your mouth with a tissue paper when coughing or sneezing, and dispose the soiled tissue paper in the rubbish bin immediately; and

• Seek medical attention promptly if you are feeling unwell.

24.     MOH will continue to monitor the situation closely. As medical practitioners are on the lookout for suspect cases, Singapore is likely to see more cases that will need to be investigated.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

19 FEBRUARY 2020

[1] Case 66 is a 28 year-old male Singapore Citizen with no recent travel history to China. He is linked to the cluster at Grace Assembly of God.