On Wednesday (5 Feb), the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed four new cases of the novel Wuhan coronavirus in Singapore.
This brings the total number of infected cases to 28 in total.
Of these, three cases are linked to the cluster of local transmission announced yesterday, and one is an imported case involving a Chinese tourist from Wuhan. The ministry highlighted that there is no evidence of widespread community transmission in Singapore yet.
Four new cases
Case 25, a 40 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to China, is the husband of the 32-year-old female tourist guide who had brought tour groups to Yong Thai Hang at 24 Cavan Road. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
The case reported that he developed a fever on 24 January. He visited Hougang Polyclinic with his wife on 30 January, and self-presented at NCID on 3 February, where he was immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed 2019-nCoV infection on 4 February at about 8pm.
Case 26 is a 42 year-old female Chinese national who arrived in Singapore from Wuhan on 21 January, and is the daughter of Case 13. As she was symptomatic, she was conveyed by ambulance to NCID on the same day as her mother, and immediately isolated. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. Subsequent test results confirmed 2019-nCoV infection on 4 February at about 8pm.
Case 27 is a 45-year-old male Singapore Citizen who is the husband of Case 19, a service staff who works at Yong Thai Hang at 24 Cavan Road. He was tested positive for 2019-nCoV infection on 5 February at about 2pm, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. No recent travel history to China.
Case 28 is a six month-old male Singapore Citizen who is the child of Cases 19 and 27. He was tested positive for 2019-nCoV infection on 5 February at about 2pm, and is currently warded in an isolation room at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. No recent travel history to China.
MOH shared that it has initiated epidemiological investigations and contact tracing to identify individuals who had close contact with the cases.
Most cases stable, 62 cases pending test results
According to MOH, all new cases today are stable. Amongst the earlier 24 confirmed cases, one has been discharged. Of the remaining 23, most are stable or improving, except for one who requires additional oxygen support, but is not in the intensive care unit.
As of 5 February 2020, 12pm, 295 of the suspect cases have tested negative for 2019-nCoV, and 28 have tested positive (Cases 27 and 28 were confirmed at about 2pm, 5 February). Test results for the remaining 62 cases are pending.
Furthermore, MOH has identified 379 close contacts. Of the 304 who are still in Singapore, 299 have been contacted and are being quarantined or isolated. Efforts are ongoing to contact the remaining five close contact.
Last Friday, it was announced that all new visitors with recent travel history to mainland China will not be allowed to enter Singapore. These visitors will also not be allowed to transit in Singapore.
Those with Chinese passports, with the exception of Singapore permanent residents (PRs) and long-term pass holders, will also not be allowed to enter Singapore.
Since Sunday (2 Feb), all travellers arriving from mainland China who had been there in the past 14 days, as well as anyone with a China passport, were barred from entry or transit in Singapore.
The number of people infected in China — where the virus originated from —has jumped to 24,000 and millions more were ordered to stay indoors.
The confirmed death toll in mainland China rose to 490 after the hardest-hit Hubei province reported 65 more people had died.
More than 20 countries have confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global health emergency, several governments to institute travel restrictions, and airlines to suspend flights to and from China.
Health officials noted that the mortality rate for the new coronavirus stood at 2.1 percent, with most victims either old or with underlying health problems.
