SINGAPORE - There are three new cases of Wuhan coronavirus infection in Singapore, said the Health Ministry (MOH) on Wednesday (Jan 29), bringing the total number in the country to 10.

Like the previous cases, all three are Chinese nationals from Wuhan, and there has been no evidence of the virus spreading in the community yet.

The eighth and ninth cases are husband and wife, both 56 years old.

They arrived in Singapore on Jan 19, and are currently warded in isolation rooms at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

Both reported that they had no symptoms during the flight to Singapore.

They developed symptoms on Friday and took a taxi to Tan Tock Seng Hospital on Monday. They were classified as suspect cases and immediately isolated at NCID, said MOH.

Subsequent tests confirmed Wuhan coronavirus infection.

Before being admitted, they had stayed with family members at their home in Lorong Lew Lian.

The tenth confirmed case is a 56-year-old man who arrived in Singapore from Wuhan on Jan 20. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

He also said that he did not have symptoms during his flight to Singapore, and was admitted to NCID on Tuesday after being identified as a suspect case at a health screening station at Marina South Pier.

He had been working and living on board a cargo vessel.

MOH has initiated epidemiological investigations and contact tracing to identify individuals who had close contact with the cases.

The three new patients are in a stable condition, said the ministry.

The earlier seven patients remained in stable condition, and most are improving, it added.

As of noon on Wednesday, test results for about 70 suspected cases were pending, said MOH.

Contact tracing for the confirmed cases is ongoing.

Once identified, MOH will closely monitor all close contacts.

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

In addition, all other identified contacts who have a low risk of being infected will be under active surveillance, and will be contacted daily to monitor their health status, the ministry added.

At noon on Wednesday, MOH said it had identified 144 close contacts. Of the 115 who are still in Singapore, 111 have been contacted and are being quarantined or isolated.

Efforts are ongoing to contact the remaining four close contacts.