SINGAPORE - No new cases of hepatitis C were found on Tuesday (Oct 27), the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) said in an update.

Of the 601 patients tested, 589 were tested negative and nine results are pending. As announced earlier, three tested positive.

In addition, a total of 310 staff have been screened, of which 309 tested negative. One test result is pending.

SGH announced on Oct 6 that 22 kidney patients had contracted hepatitis C while receiving treatment in the hospital.

The hospital is screening patients who had stayed in wards 64A and 67 from January to June for the disease.

It was announced earlier that three patients had tested positive, bringing the total number of patients infected to 25.

Eight patients have died, with five of the deaths possibly linked to the infection.

An independent review committee has been set up to investigate the spread of the hepatitis C virus in the hospital.