COVID-19: Singapore confirms 2 new cases, 1 linked to Wizlearn cluster; total 110
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday (3 March) confirmed two new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Singapore.
Of these, one is linked to the cluster at Wizlearn Technologies. Contact tracing is underway for the other case to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to affected territories.
The total of those who have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged stands at 78.
Case 109 : 70-year-old Singaporean man
The 70 year-old male Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions is currently warded in an isolation room at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
He reported onset of symptoms on 25 February and had sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic on 27 February and 28 February. He presented at SGH on 29 February and was immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed his COVID-19 infection on Monday afternoon.
Prior to hospital admission, he had gone to work at Fish Mart Sakuraya in West Coast Road but had not served customers or handled food. He stays at Everton Park.
Case 110: 33 year-old Singaporean man
The 33 year-old Singaporean man, who has no recent travel history to affected territories, is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. He is linked to the cluster at Wizlearn Technologies.
More details on Case 108: Female Filipino linked to Wizlearn cluster
The 34 year-old female Filipino national, who is a Singapore Work Pass holder, has no recent travel history to affected territories. She is a foreign domestic worker employed by Case 101, a 61-year-old Singaporean man and works in the same household as Case 102, a 41-year-old Filipino.
She is currently warded in an isolation room at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH).
She reported onset of symptoms on 25 February. She presented at NTFGH on 28 February, and was immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed her COVID-19 infection on Monday morning.
Prior to hospital admission, she had sought treatment for an unrelated condition at a dental clinic. She stays at Bukit Batok Street 24.
7 in ICU; most remaining cases stable
Of the 32 confirmed cases who are still in hospital on Monday (2 March), most are stable or improving. Seven are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
As of noon, the ministry MOH has identified 3,173 close contacts who have been quarantined. Of these, 336 are currently quarantined, and 2,837 have completed their quarantine.
It advised Singaporeans to defer all travel to Hubei province, home to Wuhan where the virus originated, and all non-essential travel to mainland China, South Korea, northern Italy, Iran and Japan.
A total of 31 cases are linked to the The Life Church and Missions Singapore and the Grace Assembly of God.
Nine of the confirmed cases are linked to Yong Thai Hang.
Three of the confirmed cases are linked to the business meeting held at Grand Hyatt Singapore from 20 to 22 January.
Five of the confirmed cases are linked to the Seletar Aerospace Heights construction site.
14 of the confirmed cases are linked to Wizlearn Technologies.
COVID-19’s death toll surpasses SARS epidemic
The novel strain belongs to the same family of coronaviruses as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 800 people globally during a 2002-2003 outbreak and also started in China.
It likely originated from Wuhan’s Huanan Seafood Market, where live animals or products – such as foxes, wolf puppies, giant salamanders, snakes, porcupines, and camel meat – are sold.
Declared a global emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO), COVID-19 has spread to 76 territories beyond mainland China. The WHO also said that cases being transmitted by people who have never travelled to China could be the "tip of the iceberg".
To date, the virus has left more than 2,900 people in China dead and sickened over 92,000 globally. 185 deaths related to the outbreak have been reported outside mainland China.
At 5,186 confirmed infections including 28 deaths, South Korea has the second-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases after mainland China. Iran has the third-highest number with 2,336 cases including 77 deaths - the most fatalities outside mainland China. Italy has the fourth-highest number with 2,036 cases and 52 deaths.
The global tally also includes cruise ship Diamond Princess, moored off Japan, which accounted for 706 cases, including six related deaths so far. Five Singaporeans who were on board the quarantined cruise ship have been allowed to disembark it.
Patients suffering from the new strain may exhibit fever and symptoms of lower respiratory illness – such as coughing or difficulty in breathing – as well as pneumonia-like symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, and headache.
However, some who have died from it have not displayed symptoms of fever, according to details released by China’s National Health Commission, potentially complicating global efforts to check for infected travellers as they arrive at airports and other travel hubs.
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