1. Three more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospital today (Cases 20, 68 and 75). In all, 72 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital.
2. As of 29 February 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified four more cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore which are linked to the cluster at Wizlearn Technologies Pte Ltd.
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) Eight of the confirmed cases (Cases 93, 95, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101 and 102) 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 10 locally transmitted cases to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to mainland China, Daegu or Cheongdo.
About the confirmed cases
Case 99
6. Case 99 is a 27 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 the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). He is linked to the cluster at Wizlearn Technologies Pte Ltd.
7. He reported onset of symptoms on 21 February. He had sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic on 25 February, and Pioneer Polyclinic on 28 February. As he had been identified as a close contact of Case 93, he was referred by MOH to NCID on 28 February and immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 28 February afternoon.
8. Prior to hospital admission, he had mostly stayed at his home at Jurong West Street 81.
Case 100
9. Case 100 is a 20 year-old male Malaysian national, 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.
10. He reported onset of symptoms on 27 February and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on 28 February. As he had been identified as a close contact of Case 93, he was referred by MOH to NCID on 28 February and immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 28 February afternoon.
11. Prior to hospital admission, he had mostly stayed at his home at Holland Avenue.
Case 101
12. Case 101 is a 61 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 29 February morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH). He is linked to Case 93.
Case 102
13. 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 Case 101’s foreign domestic worker. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 29 February morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NTFGH.
Case 98 (Announced on 28 February)
14. Case 98 is a 24 year-old male Singapore Permanent Resident 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.
15. He reported onset of symptoms on 27 February and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on the same day where he was conveyed to NCID by ambulance. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 28 February morning.
16. Prior to hospital admission, he had mostly stayed at his home at Jurong West Street 61.
Update on condition of confirmed cases
17. To date, a total of 72 cases have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital. Of the 30 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
18. 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.
19. As of 29 February 2020, 12pm, MOH has identified 3,033 close contacts who have been quarantined. Of these, 269 are currently quarantined, and 2,764 have completed their quarantine.
Health advisory
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
29 FEBRUARY 2020