As of 31 January 2020, 2pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed three additional imported cases of Wuhan coronavirus infection in Singapore. Thirteen confirmed cases were earlier announced by MOH.
2. All three cases have recent travel history to Wuhan. There is currently no evidence of community spread in Singapore.
About the cases
Case 13
3. The 13th confirmed case was announced on 30 January. The case is a 73 year-old female Chinese national who arrived in Singapore from Wuhan on 21 January. She is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
4. The case reported that she was asymptomatic during her flight to Singapore. She was a close contact of the second confirmed case[1], and multiple attempts were made to contact her immediately. She was located on 28 January, and reported having developed symptoms on the same day. She was conveyed by an ambulance to NCID, where she was immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed Wuhan coronavirus infection on 30 January at about 2pm.
5. Prior to hospital admission, the case stayed at ParkRoyal Collection Pickering (3 Upper Pickering Street) and Oasia Hotel Downtown (100 Peck Seah Street). She indicated that she had visited Changi Airport and Jewel, and had travelled on private transport and taxi. The risk of infection from transient contact, such as on public transport or in public places, is assessed to be low.
Case 14
6. The 14th case is a 31 year-old male Chinese national who is a Singapore Work Pass holder. After a trip to Hubei, he arrived in Singapore from Wuhan on 26 January. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
7. The case reported that he was asymptomatic during his flight to Singapore. He subsequently developed symptoms on 28 January. He sought medical treatment at a general practitioner clinic on 30 January, and was conveyed by an ambulance to NCID, where he was immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed Wuhan coronavirus infection on 30 January at about 11pm.
8. Prior to hospital admission, the case stayed at his home in Jurong East Street 13.
Case 15
9, The 15th case is a 47 year-old female Singapore Citizen who travelled to Wuhan with her family. She was one of the Singaporeans evacuated from Wuhan on 30 January, and arrived in Singapore on the same day. She was asymptomatic when she boarded the flight. Upon arrival at Changi Airport, she was found to have a fever during medical screening, and was conveyed to NCID. She was tested positive for Wuhan coronavirus infection on 31 January at about 2pm. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
Case 16
10. The 16th case is a 38 year-old male Chinese national who arrived in Singapore from Wuhan on 22 January. He was tested positive for Wuhan coronavirus infection on 31 January at about 2pm. He is currently warded in an isolation room at Singapore General Hospital.
11. MOH has initiated epidemiological investigations and contact tracing to identify individuals who had close contact with the cases.
Update on condition of confirmed cases
12. The three new cases are stable currently, and we are continuing to monitor their health. As for the 13 previously announced cases, none is critically ill. All of them remain in stable condition, and most are improving.
Update on suspect cases
13. As of 31 January, 12pm, 198 of the suspect cases have tested negative for the Wuhan coronavirus, and 16 have tested positive (cases 15 and 16 were confirmed at about 2pm, 31 January). Test results for the remaining 35 cases are pending.
Update on contact tracing for confirmed cases
14. 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.
15. As of 31 January, 12pm, MOH has identified 202 close contacts. Of the 162 who are still in Singapore, 156 have been contacted and are being quarantined or isolated. Efforts are ongoing to contact the remaining six close contacts.
Health advisory
16. Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to Hubei Province and all non-essential travel to Mainland China.
17. 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.
18. Travellers and members of the public should adopt the following precautions at all times:
- Avoid contact with live animals including poultry and birds, and consumption of raw and undercooked meats;
- 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.
19. MOH will continue to monitor the situation closely. As medical practitioners are on the lookout for cases with pneumonia who have recently been in China, Singapore is likely to see more suspect cases that will need to be investigated for possible links to the Wuhan cluster.
[1] The second case is 53 year-old female Chinese national from Wuhan who arrived in Singapore on 21 January 2020.