It was reported yesterday (14 Feb) that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified 9 additional cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore.

Of these, 6 are linked to the cluster at Grace Assembly of God and one is linked to a previous case. Contact tracing of the other 2 cases is underway to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to China.

In total, Singapore has 67 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection, making Singapore the most infected country outside of China presently.

One of the 9 new cases discovered yesterday was Case 59, a 61-year-old male Singaporean anaesthesiologist with no recent travel history to China and has no known interactions with past cases. He is the first medical professional in Singapore to be infected with the coronavirus.

In a phone interview, he told the media from his hospital bed at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) that he actually works at a private hospital as an anaesthesiologist in operating theatres. He asked not to be named.

He said he started to have a fever last Friday (7 Feb) but had no other symptoms like cough or sore throat. He then decided to stay home.

The fever persisted and he thought he might have come down with dengue fever because two of his neighbours were down with dengue during Chinese New Year. So, on Sunday (9 Feb), he went to the emergency care clinic at Farrer Park Hospital and did a dengue test. The result came back negative the next day (10 Feb).

By Wednesday (12 Feb), his temperature was still high and this time, he went to see an infectious disease specialist in Mount Elizabeth Hospital. A swab test was done and sent for testing. On Thursday (13 Feb), it was confirmed that he had the COVID-19 virus and an ambulance was immediately dispatched to fetch him from his home at Wilkinson Road to NCID.

“I am just unlucky. That’s all I can say,” he told the media.

When asked how he thought he could have infected with the virus, he said, “I don’t know. No idea at all.”

He added that hospitals have all the precautionary measures in place and did not think he was infected at the hospital he was working in. “There are temperature screenings at hospitals. Those who enter are supposed to be screened already. We check our temperature every day,” he said.

“Nowadays we don’t really know where the virus is from. I didn’t expect to get it.”

So far, his family members have been tested negative for the virus.

When asked how easily can asymptomatic carriers pass it to others, World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a press briefing on 11 Feb that the virus can be passed by the respiration of tiny airborne droplets from an infected person.

Besides handwashing and maintaining distance from people who are visibly ill, WHO and other public health authorities have so far been unable to issue clear guidance as to what else the general public can do to protect themselves from the virus.

WHO experts have said that there is mixed evidence about the extent to which simple surgical masks may or may not provide an added measure of protection. In Singapore, political leaders have championed the notion that there is no need to wear a mask if you are well.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

Media personality voices concern over victim blaming with crime prevention programme

A media personality, Petrina Kow, posted on her Facebook page a story…

New green building masterplan is in the works as part of climate mitigation strategy

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Singapore Green Building Council…

手术预估费高昂、一份医疗报告100元? 樟宜医院发文解释

一名市民揶揄,公共医院似乎并不鼓励病患看病,不仅开出比实际费用高六倍的预估费用,交给保险公司的医药报告,也跟病患收100新元,令他感到不可理喻。 市民周晋国(译音)曾于2月26日在海峡时报论坛(ST Forum)上,非议樟宜综合医院的收费。 周先生的女佣,日前到樟宜医院动手术。女佣入院时院方告知,住C级病房的五天费用,估计高达1万5000到1万8000新元。不过最终女佣仅住院两天,费用仅2千930.70新元。 他对何以设定高昂的预估费用感到不解:“预估费用比实际费用高出六倍,有什么意义?” 他补充,“病患可能被高昂的预估费用吓着,打退堂鼓而选择不接受治疗”。 索赔医疗报告收100新元 此外,在所有收费中,他发现樟宜医院也向他征收100新元,用于付还职总英康( NTUC Income)要求下的的医疗报告。 “既然已经有一份住院病患的出院表格,清楚列明病患的医疗状况和程序,为什么保险公司还要一份医疗报告?”他认为,撰写医疗报告不像很复杂的任务,何以要征收100元?即便专科看诊也没那么贵。 他呼吁政府管制这些医院对于医疗报告的收费数额。…

Veteran advocate for the disabled community steps down as advisor for Disabled People Association

A veteran advocate for the disabled community Mr Nicholas Aw has stepped…