SINGAPORE - Four Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) regular servicemen who tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from France are hospitalised, while another two have been placed on home quarantine as they were close contacts, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said on Wednesday (March 11).

All six were on the same official overseas duty trip from Feb 15 to March 7. The two at home are currently well, Mindef added.

The statement said: "The Singapore Armed Forces had already reduced its overseas training deployments and exercises in view of the Covid-19 outbreak, and will continue to adjust such activities where necessary, depending on the conditions within the host country."

It added that all SAF personnel, both locally and abroad, have been instructed to take precautionary measures, which include social distancing, to mitigate the risk of infection.

Three of the confirmed RSAF cases were among the 12 new cases of coronavirus infection announced by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. The first was announced on Tuesday (March 10).

None of the four servicemen who have been infected had been at their workplace or other SAF premises since their return from France, said Mindef.

They were on official duty in Marseille and returned to Singapore on March 8. They developed symptoms soon after that, said Mindef.

They tested positive for the Covid-19 on Tuesday and Wednesday, and have been identified as Cases 165, 169, 173, and 175.

Three of the servicemen are currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), and one is at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Mindef did not say whether they returned to Singapore on a commercial or military flight.

As of Wednesday, there were 1,784 confirmed cases in France, and 33 deaths.