Three more cases discharged, ten new cases of COVID-19 infection confirmed

1. Three more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospital (Cases 112, 138 and 151). In all, 93 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital. 

2. As of 9 March 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified 10 more cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore. Of these:

• Six are part of the cluster involving a private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong (333 Boon Lay Way) on 15 February;
• One is linked to the cluster at The Life Church and Missions Singapore (146B Paya Lebar Road); and
• Three are imported cases.

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) Eight of the locally transmitted confirmed cases (Cases 31, 33, 38, 83, 90, 91, 138 and 151), as well as Cases 8 and 9, are linked to The Life Church and Missions Singapore. These cases are linked to another 23 confirmed cases (Cases 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 73, 74, 78, 80, 81, 84, 88) who are linked to the Grace Assembly of God.

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

c) Three of the confirmed cases (Cases 30, 36 and 39) are linked to the 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) 14 of the confirmed cases (Cases 93, 95, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 108 and 110) are linked to Wizlearn Technologies Pte Ltd.

f) 36 of the confirmed cases (Cases 94, 96, 107, 112, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 120, 121, 122, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 133, 134, 137, 139, 140, 142, 144, 145, 146, 148, 149, 150, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159 and 160) are linked to a private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong on 15 February.

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;
• Case 75 is linked to Case 41;
• Case 86 is linked to Case 82;
• Case 126 is linked to Case 109; and
• Case 143 is linked to Case 132.

5. Contact tracing is underway for the other 14 locally transmitted cases to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to affected countries or regions.

Prioritisation of resources at public hospitals

6. In view of the rising number of COVID-19 infections globally, and the expected rise in the number of confirmed cases in Singapore, we will need to prioritise the resources at our public hospitals.

7. From 7 March 2020, foreigners who are short-term visit pass holders (STVP) who seek treatment for COVID-19 in Singapore will need to pay for their treatment. MOH will continue to waive COVID-19 testing fees for all STVP holders as part of our public health measures to identify and initiate contact tracing for confirmed cases who may have been infectious while in Singapore.

8. The government will continue to pay for the COVID-19 testing fees and hospital bill in full for Singapore Residents and long term pass holders who are admitted to public hospitals for COVID-19.

About the confirmed cases

Case 151

9. Case 151 is a 51 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He is a contact of Cases 66 and 91, and is linked to the cluster at The Life Church and Missions Singapore.

10. He reported onset of symptoms on 4 February and had sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic on 5 February and 13 February, and at Yishun Polyclinic on 8 February and 13 February. As he had been identified to have attended the Chinese New Year gathering at Mei Hwan Drive on 25 January, he was referred by MOH to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) on 22 February even though he had recovered by then. Subsequent serological test results on 8 March afternoon confirmed that he had an earlier COVID-19 infection.

11. He stays at Yishun Ring Road.

Case 152

12. Case 152 is an imported case involving a 65 year-old male Indonesian national who arrived in Singapore on 7 March. He is currently warded in an isolation room at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

13. He reported onset of symptoms on 28 February while he was in Indonesia, and had sought treatment at a hospital in Jakarta on 2 March. He presented at SGH on 7 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 8 March afternoon.

Case 153

14. Case 153 is likely to be an imported case involving a 65 year-old female Singapore Citizen who had been in Indonesia from 25 February to 28 February. She reported that while she was in Indonesia, she had visited her sister who had pneumonia. She is currently warded in an isolation room at SGH.

15. She reported onset of symptoms on 3 March and had sought treatment at Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic on the same day and on 7 March. She presented at the emergency department at SGH on 7 March, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 8 March afternoon.

16. Prior to hospital admission, she had mostly stayed at her home at Jalan Teck Whye.

Case 154

17. Case 154 is an imported case involving a 52 year-old male British national. He arrived in Singapore on 6 March and was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 9 March morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 155

18. Case 155 is a 47 year-old female Malaysian national who is a Singapore Work Pass holder, and who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 9 March morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is a contact of Case 128, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

Case 156

19. Case 156 is a 50 year-old female Singapore Permanent Resident who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

Case 157

20. Case 157 is a 54 year-old female Singapore Permanent Resident who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 9 March morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is a contact of Case 137, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

Case 158

21. Case 158 is a 53 year-old female Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 9 March morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH). She is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

Case 159

22. Case 159 is a 59 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 9 March morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NTFGH. He is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

Case 160

23. Case 160 is a five year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 9 March morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. He is a family member of Case 145, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

Case 145 (Announced on 8 March)

24. Case 145 is a 67 year-old female Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is a contact of Case 134, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

25. She reported onset of symptoms on 29 February, and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on 3 March and 6 March. She was referred to NCID on 7 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 8 March morning.

26. Prior to hospital admission, she had visited a shop at 16 Teck Whye Lane. She stays at Teck Whye Lane.

Case 146 (Announced on 8 March)

27. Case 146 is a 64 year-old female Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is a contact of Case 134, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

28. She reported onset of symptoms on 4 March, and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on 5 March. She presented at NCID on 7 March, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 8 March morning.

29. Prior to hospital admission, she mostly stayed at her home in the Yio Chu Kang Road area.

Case 147 (Announced on 8 March)

30. Case 147 is an imported case involving a 64 year-old male Indonesian national who arrived in Singapore on 7 March. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

31. He reported onset of symptoms on 3 March while he was in Indonesia. He had a fever when he arrived at Seletar Airport, and underwent a COVID-19 swab test at the checkpoint. He was conveyed by ambulance to NCID on 7 March night, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 8 March morning.

32. Prior to hospitalisation, he mostly stayed at his rental apartment in the Oxley Road area.

Case 148 (Announced on 8 March)

33. Case 148 is a 67 year-old female Singapore Citizen who had been in Indonesia from 11 February to 14 February. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is a contact of Case 107, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

34. She reported onset of symptoms on 24 February. As she had been identified as a contact of Case 107, she was referred by MOH to NCID on 2 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 8 March morning.

35. Prior to hospital admission, she had visited Marina Bay Sands Casino (10 Bayfront Avenue). She stays at Jalan Lim Tai See.

Case 149 (Announced on 8 March)

36. Case 149 is a 62 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. He is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

37. He reported onset of symptoms on 23 February and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on 7 March. He was conveyed in an ambulance to Tan Tock Seng Hospital on 7 March, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 8 March morning.

38. Prior to hospital admission, he had gone for singing classes at various community clubs and residents’ committees. He also visited Tong Whye Temple Senior Citizen Club (306 Jurong East Street 32). He stays at Jurong East Street 32.

Case 150 (Announced on 8 March)

39. Case 150 is a 53 year-old female Singapore Permanent Resident who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is a contact of Cases 115 and 134, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.

40. She reported onset of symptoms on 29 February. As she had been identified to be a contact of Cases 115 and 134, she was referred by MOH to NCID on 7 March, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 8 March morning.

41. Prior to hospital admission, she had gone for singing classes and other activities at Nanyang Community Club. She stays at Jurong West Street 64.

Update on condition of confirmed cases

42. To date, a total of 93 cases have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital. Of the 67 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving. Ten are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

Update on contact tracing for confirmed cases

43. 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.

44. As of 9 March 2020, 12pm, MOH has identified 3,784 close contacts who have been quarantined. Of these, 724 are currently quarantined, and 3,060 have completed their quarantine.

Health advisory

45. Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to Hubei Province and all non-essential travel to mainland China, Iran, northern Italy, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

46. 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.

47. 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.

48. 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
9 MARCH 2020