Advertisement

COVID-19: Singapore confirms 4 new cases, total at 102; 3 discharged

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - FEBRUARY 28: A couple wearing masks walk on the paveway at Waterloo area on February 28, 2020 in Singapore. The coronavirus, originating in Wuhan, China has spread to over 80,000 people globally, more than 50 countries have now been infected.  (Photo by Ore Huiying/Getty Images)
A couple wearing masks in Singapore. (PHOTO: Ore Huiying/Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday (29 February) confirmed four new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Singapore, bringing the total to 102.

Three more patients have been discharged from the hospital. This brings the total of those who have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged to 72, more than half of the total confirmed cases.

Case 99, 100, 101, 102: Linked to Wizlearn Technologies

All four new cases are linked to the new cluster at Wizlearn Technologies. None of them had recent travel history to mainland China, and South Korea’s Daegu city and Cheongdo county.

Case 99 is a 27year-old male Singapore citizen who is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). He reported onset of symptoms on 21 February, and had sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic on Tuesday, as well as Pioneer Polyclinic on Friday.

As he had been identified as a close contact of Case 93, a 38-year-old male Singapore citizen, he was referred by MOH to NCID on Friday and immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Friday afternoon.

Prior to hospital admission, he had mostly stayed at his home at Jurong West Street 81.

Case 100 is a 20-year-old male Malaysian national who is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. He reported onset of symptoms on Thursday and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on Friday.

As he had also been identified as a close contact of Case 93, he was referred by MOH to NCID on Friday and immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Friday afternoon. Prior to hospital admission, he had mostly stayed at his home at Holland Avenue.

Case 101 is a 61-year-old male Singapore citizen who was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Saturday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH). He is also linked to Case 93.

Case 102 is a 41-year-old female Filipino national who is a Singapore work pass holder, who is Case 101’s foreign domestic worker. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Saturday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NTFGH.

Details on Case 98: 24-year-old PR

Case 98 is a 24-year-old male Singapore permanent resident who has no recent travel history to China, Daegu and Cheongdo. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID, and is linked to the cluster at Wizlearn Technologies.

He reported onset of symptoms on Thursday and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on the same day where he was conveyed to NCID by ambulance. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Friday morning. Prior to hospital admission, he had mostly stayed at his home at Jurong West Street 61.

7 in ICU; most remaining cases stable

On Friday, MOH said that most of the 30 remaining patients in the hospital are stable or improving. Seven remain in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

As of noon, the ministry has identified 3,033 close contacts who have been quarantined. Of these, 269 are currently quarantined, and 2,764 have completed their quarantine.

It reiterated its advice for Singaporeans to defer all travel to Hubei province, home to Wuhan where the virus originated, and all non-essential travel to mainland China.

In addition, the MOH advised members of the public to avoid non-essential travel to Daegu city and Cheongdo county in South Korea following a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in the country.

It also reminded the public to continue to exercise caution when travelling to the rest of South Korea.

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 50 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 85,000 globally. Over 90 deaths related to the outbreak have been reported outside mainland China.

At 3,150 confirmed infections including 17 deaths, South Korea has the second-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases after mainland China. Italy has the third-highest number with 889 cases, including 21 deaths. Iran has the most deaths outside of China with 43.

The global tally also includes cruise ship Diamond Princess, moored off Japan, which accounted for 705 cases, including four related deaths so far. Five Singaporeans who were on board the quarantined cruise ship have been allowed to disembark it last week.

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.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related stories:

COVID-19: Singapore confirms 2 new cases, total at 98; new cluster of 4 cases

COVID-19: NS men can book IPPT again as FCCs resume operations

President, political office holders to take 1 month pay cut: DPM Heng

COVID-19: How it's spreading in Singapore and the world