Wuhan virus: Singapore confirms 2 more imported cases, day after first patient tested positive

SINGAPORE — Two more cases of the Wuhan virus were confirmed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Jan 24).

Both are Chinese nationals who tested positive for the novel coronavirus — now known as 2019-nCoV.

One has been isolated upon admission at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the other is at the Singapore General Hospital. Both are in stable condition.

In light of the latest developments, the authorities advised Singaporeans to avoid travelling not only to the city of Wuhan but the whole province where the city is located.

The announcement came a day after the health ministry confirmed Singapore’s first imported case of the coronavirus.

One of the latest cases is a 53-year-old woman who arrived in Singapore on a Scoot flight at 5.30am on Jan 21 with one travelling companion.

On Thursday, MOH said it was waiting for the results of a second confirmatory test for this woman, who tested positive for the coronavirus in the first sample test.

The patient stayed at J8 Hotel and took both taxis and public transport to the Orchard Road area, Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay.

After developing fever, cough and chills, she sought medical attention at Raffles Hospital on Jan 22 and was later conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

MOH has started contact tracing for this second case and they will be quarantined and monitored for the next 14 days since their last contact with the patient to see whether any symptoms would develop.

The third confirmed case is a 37-year-old male, the son of the first imported case in Singapore announced by MOH on Thursday.

On Thursday, the ministry confirmed that a 66-year-old man has been infected after he checked himself in at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) emergency department on Wednesday evening.

He is a resident of Wuhan, where the virus outbreak originated from and which has to date claimed the lives of 25 people in China. While the city in Hubei province is on lockdown, the virus has spread to countries like Thailand, Japan, Taiwan and the United States.

MOH has managed to identify 46 close contacts of the first patient, of which 24 have already left Singapore.

Out of the remaining 22, MOH has contacted 17, one of whom is his son — the third confirmed case.

The remaining 16 close contacts will be quarantined and monitored for the next 14 days since their last contact with the patient to see whether any symptoms would develop.

Besides his close contacts, 13 others have been identified and eight of them have been contacted by MOH. They will be placed on phone surveillance.

The man arrived in Singapore on Monday with nine companions — one of whom is his son who accompanied him to SGH and has been admitted. They stayed at Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa resort.

MOH said the first patient and the woman who tested positive are not related.

There are 44 suspect cases, as of Friday noon, out of which 13 have been ruled out, and three have been confirmed.

This is a jump from the 28 suspect cases MOH announced on Thursday.

Two of the 44 suspect cases are staff of Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa hotel who came into contact with the first infected man. The other 42 are from China.

The authorities have also expanded border screening beyond Changi Airport to include land and sea checkpoints since Friday morning.

From 12pm on Friday, travellers arriving at both Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints would have undergone temperature screening.

Those arriving in vehicles were screened either at one of the alighting platforms, security check area, cargo platforms or bus concourse, before immigration counters.

Suspected cases will be referred to hospitals for further assessment.

So far, the origin of the virus — which can be transmitted through humans — has not been determined yet. There is also no cure available at the moment.