Two more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospital today (Cases 54 and 60). In all, 74 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital.
2. As of 1 March 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified four more cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore. Of these, three are linked to the cluster at Wizlearn Technologies Pte Ltd. Contact tracing is underway for the remaining case to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo.
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) Six of the locally transmitted confirmed cases (Cases 31, 33, 38, 83, 90 and 91), as well as Cases 8 and 9, are linked to The Life Church and Missions Singapore. These six 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) 11 of the confirmed cases (Cases 93, 95, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105) are linked to Wizlearn Technologies Pte Ltd.
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; and
- Case 96 is linked to Case 94.
5. Contact tracing is underway for the other 11 locally transmitted cases to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to mainland China, Daegu or Cheongdo.
About the confirmed cases
Case 103
6. Case 103 is a 37 year-old female Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo but had been in Batam from 21 February to 23 February. She is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). She is a family member of Case 93[1], and is linked to Case 101.
7. As she had been identified as a close contact of Case 93 and had reported not having any recent illness, she was issued a home quarantine order on 26 February. On 29 February, she revealed that she had onset of symptoms on 20 February and had sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic on 25 February. She was immediately conveyed to NCID in an ambulance and was isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 1 March morning.
8. Prior to hospital admission, she had gone to work at Asia Asset Recovery Pte Ltd (2019 Bukit Batok Industrial Park A). She stays at Bukit Batok Street 31.
Case 104
9. Case 104 is a 25 year-old female Myanmar national who has no recent travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo but had been in Batam from 21 February to 23 February. She is a foreign domestic worker employed by Case 103. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
10. As she had been identified as a close contact of Case 93 and had reported not having any recent illness, she was issued a home quarantine order on 26 February. On 29 February, she revealed that she had onset of symptoms on 23 February. She was immediately conveyed to NCID in an ambulance and was isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 1 March morning.
11. Prior to hospital admission, she had mostly stayed at home at Bukit Batok Street 31.
Case 105
12. Case 105 is a 49 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. He is linked to the cluster at Wizlearn Technologies Pte Ltd.
13. As he is linked to the cluster at Wizlearn Technologies Pte Ltd and had reported not having any recent illness, he was issued a home quarantine order on 27 February. On 29 February, he revealed that he had onset of symptoms on 26 February and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on the same day. He was immediately conveyed to NCID in an ambulance and was isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 1 March morning.
14. Prior to hospital admission, he had attended a business meeting at Toa Payoh Hub (490 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh) with Case 95[2]. He stays at Upper Bukit Timah Road.
Case 106
15. Case 106 is a 54 year-old male Japanese national who is a Singapore Work Pass holder, and has no recent travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 1 March morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
Case 101 (Announced on 29 February)
16. Case 101 is a 61 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo, but had been in Batam from 21 February to 23 February. He is currently warded in an isolation room at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH). He is linked to Case 103.
17. He reported onset of symptoms on 25 February. He had presented at the emergency department at NTFGH on 28 February with Case 102 and was immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 29 February morning.
18. Prior to hospital admission, he had gone to work at Asia Asset Recovery Pte Ltd and visited the Eye Clinic at NTFGH with Case 102. He stays at Bukit Batok Street 24.
Case 102 (Announced on 29 February)
19. Case 102 is a 41 year-old female Filipino national who is a Singapore Work Pass holder, and has no recent travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo. She is a foreign domestic worker employed by Case 101. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NTFGH.
20. She reported onset of symptoms on 25 February and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on 27 February. She presented at NTFGH with Case 101 on 28 February and was immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 29 February morning.
21. Prior to hospital admission, she had accompanied Case 101 to the Eye Clinic at NTFGH. She stays at Bukit Batok Street 24.
Update on condition of confirmed cases
22. To date, a total of 74 cases have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital. Of the 32 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving. Seven are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
Update on contact tracing for confirmed cases
23. 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.
24. As of 1 March 2020, 12pm, MOH has identified 3,133 close contacts who have been quarantined. Of these, 367 are currently quarantined, and 2,766 have completed their quarantine.
Health advisory
25. Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to Hubei Province and all non-essential travel to Mainland China, and Daegu and Cheongdo in the Republic of Korea. MOH also reminds the public to continue to exercise caution when travelling to the rest of the Republic of Korea.
26. 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.
27. 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.
28. 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.
[1] Case 93 is a 38 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 26 February.
[2] Case 95 is a 44 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 27 February. He is linked to Case 93.