3 new Wuhan virus cases in Singapore; all patients from China

The battle to contain the Wuhan coronavirus infection continued as the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced yesterday that three new cases had been confirmed in Singapore. This brings the total number of cases in the country to 10.

Like the previous seven people, the latest patients to test positive are Chinese nationals from Wuhan, and there is no evidence yet of the virus spreading in the community here, said the ministry.

All are in stable condition, and are warded in isolation rooms at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases.

The seven earlier cases also remain in stable condition, and most are improving, said MOH.

The update comes as tougher new measures have been put in place here, including banning new visitors who travelled recently to Hubei from entering Singapore.

Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, is the epicentre of the outbreak which has seen about 6,000 infections globally and more than 130 deaths.

Singapore is on heightened alert, with temperature checks at numerous locations islandwide, including schools, where children returning after the Chinese New Year break had to check their temperatures with personal thermometers.

Companies have also put measures in place, with stores and shopping centres stepping up cleaning efforts and providing hand sanitisers for patrons, and firms introducing separate work areas or paid leave for employees who have recently travelled to China.

In a precautionary move, Singapore Airlines decided to stop overnight stays for pilots and cabin crew on flights to Beijing and Shanghai.

Singaporeans have been advised to defer all travel to Hubei province and all non-essential travel to mainland China.

Meanwhile, the Government reiterated that surgical masks need to be worn only by people who are not feeling well, even as anxious crowds queued to buy them where they could be found, mirroring scenes across the globe where people stockpiled masks, depleting online malls and store shelves.

Others tried to capitalise on panic and make a quick buck online, with advertisements for masks carrying highly inflated prices.

The eighth and ninth cases discovered here are a married couple, both 56, who had been staying with family members at their home in Lorong Lew Lian.

They arrived here on Jan 19 but developed symptoms last Friday, and took a taxi to Tan Tock Seng Hospital on Monday.

The National Environment Agency gave guidance and a cleaning kit to the couple's family members, who are under home quarantine, Marine Parade GRC MP Seah Kian Peng said in a post on Facebook last night.

The 10th confirmed case is a 56-year-old man who was identified as a suspected case at a health screening station at Marina South Pier. He had been living and working on board a cargo vessel.

MOH said that as of noon yesterday, the test results for 70 suspected cases were pending.

Contact tracing for confirmed cases is ongoing.

As a precautionary measure, close contacts will be quarantined for 14 days from their last exposure to the patient.

All other contacts who have a low risk of being infected will be under active surveillance, and will be contacted daily to monitor their health status.

By noon yesterday, the ministry had identified 144 close contacts.

Of the 115 who are still in Singapore, it said, 111 have been contacted and are being quarantined or isolated, while efforts are ongoing to contact the remaining four close contacts.