A patient at Raffles Medical Clinic in Northpoint City was suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus on Wed (5 Feb).
Local actor Benny Tan in a Facebook post on Wed shared an image of a circular by Frasers Property Retail Management Ltd — the company managing Northpoint City — stating that the clinic had notified the management that “a suspected patient with nCoV required an escort to the mall’s ambulance pick up point” at around 3.23pm.
“With the well-being of shoppers and tenants being our utmost priority, we facilitated the movement of the patient to the pick-up point via a designated route designed to minimise exposure of the patient to the general public.
“As part of the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) protocols to safeguard public safety, personal protective equipment was used when facilitating the movement of the patient.
“We also thoroughly disinfected the affected areas thereafter,” according to the circular.
Mr Tan’s post yesterday also contained videos allegedly depicting the pathway surrounding Raffles Medical Clinic being sealed off, and the patient being moved out from the mall premises through a designated route following the suspected case.
Mr Tan in his post on the suspected case at Northpoint City urged users not to go to crowded places in the midst of the outbreak.
Frasers Property Retail Management added that it has since provided face masks and carried out daily temperature checks — twice a day — for its staff and contractors.
The management is also providing hand sanitisers at common areas such as customer service, toilets and the fire command centre, and increased the frequency of cleaning for all common areas.
“We advise all tenants and staff to remain vigilant, practice good hygiene, and to immediately seek medical attention should they exhibit any symptoms associated with the nCoV.
“Tenants are also encouraged to conduct twice daily temperature checks for their staff,” according to the circular.
Four new cases of Wuhan coronavirus in Singapore; 28 in total so far
As of 2pm on 5 Feb, MOH confirmed four additional cases of novel coronavirus infection in Singapore.
This brings the total number of infected cases to 28 in total.
Three of the four cases are linked to the cluster of local transmission announced on Tue, and one is an imported case involving a Chinese tourist from Wuhan, according to the Ministry.
However, MOH noted that there has yet to be evidence of widespread community transmission in Singapore.
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 a novel coronavirus infection on 4 Feb 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 novel coronavirus infection on 5 Feb at about 2pm, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. The patient recorded 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 novel coronavirus infection on 5 Feb at about 2pm, and is currently warded in an isolation room at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The patient recorded 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
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 the novel coronavirus, and 28 have tested positive. Cases 27 and 28 were confirmed at about 2pm yesterday. 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 Sun (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 the novel coronavirus, 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.
