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Grand Hyatt Singapore taking steps to clean premises after 2 coronavirus cases reported overseas

SEOUL/SINGAPORE — Singapore's Grand Hyatt hotel, which has been linked to two coronavirus cases reported in Malaysia and South Korea, said on Wednesday (Feb 5) that it has taken immediate measures to clean its public areas after it heard of the first infection on Tuesday.

Singapore's health ministry said the meeting involving the Malaysian took place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Singapore's health ministry said the meeting involving the Malaysian took place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

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SEOUL/SINGAPORE — Singapore's Grand Hyatt hotel, which has been linked to two coronavirus cases reported in Malaysia and South Korea, said on Wednesday (Feb 5) that it has taken immediate measures to clean its public areas after it heard of the first infection on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Malaysia said its first infected citizen — a 41-year-old man — had attended a meeting of several international delegations, including those from China where the virus originated, in Singapore in mid-January. 

Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) said later on Tuesday that the Malaysian man had been in Singapore from Jan 16 to Jan 23. He attended a business meeting at the Grand Hyatt, which involved Chinese nationals, and developed symptoms after returning to Malaysia. MOH added that it was working to identify others at risk.

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A 38-year-old South Korean who came into contact with the Malaysian when he travelled to Singapore with colleagues is also infected, Mr Jeong Eun-kyeon, director of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said on Wednesday.

The two had a buffet meal together with several other Koreans during the conference, Korea's Joongang Ilbo newspaper reported.

Authorities have not commented on the nature of the business gathering nor which industry it involved.

Mr Gerald Kheng, a spokesman for the Grand Hyatt, confirmed the Malaysian had stayed at the hotel for a week in mid-January but did not comment on meetings held at the hotel.

MOH "has not advised details on how, where and when this individual was infected with the virus," Mr Kheng said, adding the hotel had been deep cleaned and that it was not aware of any other cases among its hotel guests or staff.

In a statement to TODAY, Grand Hyatt said that upon receiving the news from MOH on Feb 4, it "took further measures immediately and have implemented operational protocols, including initiating deep cleaning measures in public areas, restaurants, meeting spaces, and guestrooms".

"Hotel leadership and colleagues will continue to remain vigilant and support local authorities as they look further into the situation," it added.

Singapore — one of the worst hit countries outside China in the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) — has reported 24 cases of coronavirus, including some local transmission cases.

While the city-state has said there is no evidence of widespread community spread, it announced new precautionary measures on Tuesday such as halting group activities, like assemblies at school.

Meanwhile, several firms in the city-state have suspended business and media events — including Singapore's largest travel fair — while the biennial Singapore Airshow is set to go ahead next week albeit on a smaller scale.

The World Health Organisation has said cases of human-to-human transmission outside China are "deeply concerning" and "hold the potential for a much larger outbreak".

The death toll from the epidemic neared 500 on Wednesday. AGENCIES

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Wuhan virus coronavirus South Korea Malaysia Grand Hyatt Hotel

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