COVID-19: Singapore confirms 2 new cases, 1 citizen and 1 PR; total at 112
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (4 March) confirmed two new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Singapore, bringing the total to 112.
One more patient haas been discharged from the hospital. This brings the total of those who have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged to 79.
Case 111: 43-year-old male Singapore PR
The 43 year-old male Singapore Permanent Resident has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions but who had been in Malaysia from 18 February to 21 February. He is currently warded in an isolation room at the National University Hospital (NUH).
He reported onset of symptoms on 24 February and had sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic on the same day and on 28 February. He presented at Sengkang General Hospital on 27 February and NUH on Tuesday. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday afternoon.
Prior to hospital admission, he had mostly stayed at his home at Compassvale Street.
Case 112: 62-year-old Singaporean woman
The 62 year-old Singaporean woman, who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions, was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Wednesday morning and is warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
She works at Creative O Preschoolers’ Bay in International Business Park as a non-teaching staff. She is linked to Case 94, a 64-year-old Singaporean woman.
More details on Case 110: 33-year-old Singaporean man
The 33-year-old Singaporean man, who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions, is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. He is linked to the cluster at Wizlearn Technologies.
He reported onset of symptoms on 22 February and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on 23 February. As he had been identified as a contact of Case 93, a 38-year-old Singaporean man, he was referred by MOH to NCID on 27 February. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning.
Prior to hospital admission, he had gone to work at Wizlearn Technologies. He stays at Upper Boon Keng Road.
7 in ICU; most remaining cases stable
Most of the 33 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 3,204 close contacts who have been quarantined. Of these, 355 are currently quarantined, and 2,849 have completed their quarantine.
MOH advises 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.
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 80 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 94,000 globally. 238 deaths related to the outbreak have been reported outside mainland China.
At 5,621 confirmed infections including 33 deaths, South Korea has the second-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases after mainland China. Iran has the third-highest number with 2,922 cases including 92 deaths - the most fatalities outside mainland China. Italy has the fourth-highest number with 2,502 cases and 79 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.
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, 1 linked to Wizlearn cluster; total 110
COVID-19: Singapore extends travel ban to new visitors from South Korea, Iran, northern Italy
COVID-19: New swab test at Singapore checkpoints for travellers showing respiratory symptoms, fever
