Novel coronavirus: One congregant of Paya Lebar church identified as possible cluster is ‘in critical condition’ in ICU

SINGAPORE — One of the congregants of the church which has been identified as a possible cluster of novel coronavirus transmission is currently in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU), the church’s pastor said on Sunday (Feb 9).

The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday had said that the church, The Life Church and Missions on Paya Lebar Road, was a possible new cluster as five of the confirmed cases — cases 8, 9, 31, 33 and 38 — had links to the church.

Cases 8 and 9 are a husband and wife pair of Chinese nationals from Wuhan who had arrived in Singapore on Jan 19. The remaining cases are Singaporean citizens who are congregants of the church.

Speaking in Mandarin during a close to two-hour-long service that was live-streamed on YouTube, Reverend Vincent Choo said the outbreak might be the “most difficult challenge” that the church has faced so far.

He also said that the two Chinese nationals were first-time visitors from Wuhan who came to the church three weeks ago.

He added that while he did not know them personally, he wished for the congregation to remain objective as, like everyone else, the couple had come to the church to receive blessings.

Reverend Choo added that while it is understandable for some members of the church to be worried, especially parents and those who may already be suffering from mild illness, he urged the congregants to encourage and support the people who are in need of help at this time.

“This is not the Chinese, the Wuhan people’s fault. It is also not the fault of those who came to sit among us,” he said.

“In times like these… we must pray for the masses, we must pray for Singapore. We must pray for the hospital staff, we must pray for China.”

The Life Church and Missions was established on November 2002, and is an independent church without affiliation to any denomination, according to its website.

The church operates out of a unit in Ace Building in Paya Lebar Road.

According to a post on the church’s Facebook page, it has suspended all Chinese and English services and meetings since Friday, when the Government raised the alert level for the outbreak to Orange.