SINGAPORE - Crowne Plaza Changi Airport closed for two weeks from Friday (Jan 8) after two unlinked Covid-19 cases working at the hotel's Azur restaurant emerged.

The Ministry of Health has started to test all staff working at the hotel for Covid-19.

Here's what we know so far about the two cases.

1. Case 59028

A Korean national, 24, who works at the hotel, is the first staff member who tested positive.

The work permit holder has also preliminarily tested positive for the more infectious UK B117 strain and is pending further confirmatory tests.

The man, who delivers pre-packed meals to air crew and hotel guests, works at Azur, a restaurant in the hotel. He does not interact with restaurant diners.

He tested positive for a pooled swab during a Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) on Saturday (Jan 2), and was tested again on Monday (Jan 4).

On that same day, he started to develop acute respiratory infection symptoms.

His test result came back positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday (Jan 5), and he was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

His serological test result was negative.

2. Case 59059

The second Covid-19 infected staff who also works at Azur at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport is a 43-year-old Malaysian, handling the same job scope as the first case.

She developed symptoms while at work on Jan 3, and went to a general practitioner on Jan 5. She tested positive and was taken to the NCID.

Her serological test came back negative, and preliminary investigations showed that she is probably not infected with the B117 strain.

Her earlier test from RRT was negative.

Both cases are currently unlinked.