SINGAPORE: Ten new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Singapore on Monday (Mar 9), including six linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.
The cluster, which involved a private dinner function held at the Joy Garden restaurant in SAFRA Jurong on Feb 15, now has a total of 36 cases, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Of the new cases, one is linked to the cluster at The Life Church and Mission Singapore, while the other three are imported cases.
The latest infections bring Singapore’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 160.
Three more patients were also discharged, MOH said in the release.
To date, a total of 93 cases have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital.
Of the 67 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving, MOH said. Ten are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
SHORT-TERM VISIT PASS HOLDERS TO PAY FOR OWN TREATMENT
MOH in the release also announced that from Mar 7, foreigners who are short-term visit pass holders who seek treatment for COVID-19 in Singapore will need to pay for their treatment.
“In view of the rising number of COVID-19 infections globally, and the expected rise in the number of confirmed cases in Singapore, we will need to prioritise the resources at our public hospitals,” said the ministry.
MOH added that it will continue to waive COVID-19 testing fees for all short-term visit pass holders as part of public health measures to identify and initiate contact tracing for confirmed cases who may have been infectious while in Singapore.
The government will continue to pay for the COVID-19 testing fees and hospital bill in full for Singapore residents and long term pass holders who are admitted to public hospitals for COVID-19.
NEW CASES
CASE 151
Case 151 is a 51-year-old male Singaporean man who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He is a contact of Cases 66 and 91, and is linked to the cluster at The Life Church and Missions Singapore.
He reported onset of symptoms on Feb 4 and had sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic on Feb 5 and Feb 13, and at Yishun Polyclinic on Feb 8 and Feb 13.
As he had been identified to have attended the Chinese New Year gathering at Mei Hwan Drive on Jan 25, he was referred by MOH to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) on Feb 22 even though he had recovered by then.
Subsequent serological test results on Mar 8 afternoon confirmed that he had an earlier COVID-19 infection. He stays at Yishun Ring Road.
CASE 152
Case 152 is an imported case involving a 65-year-old Indonesian man who arrived in Singapore on Mar 7.
He reported onset of symptoms Feb 28 while he was in Indonesia, and had sought treatment at a hospital in Jakarta on Mar 2. He presented at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) on Mar 7 and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Mar 8 afternoon.
He is currently warded in an isolation room at SGH.
CASE 153
Case 153 is likely to be an imported case involving a 65-year-old Singaporean woman who had been in Indonesia from Feb 25 to Feb 28.
She reported that while she was in Indonesia, she had visited her sister who had pneumonia.
She reported onset of symptoms on Mar 3 and had sought treatment at Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic on the same day and on Mar 7.
She presented at the emergency department at SGH on Mar 7, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Mar 8 afternoon.
Prior to hospital admission, she had mostly stayed at her home at Jalan Teck Whye. She is currently warded in an isolation room at SGH.
CASE 154
Case 154 is an imported case involving a 52-year-old British man.
He arrived in Singapore on Mar 6 and was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Mar 9 morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
CASE 155
Case 155 is a 47-year-old Malaysian woman who is a Singapore Work Pass holder, and who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.
She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Mar 9 morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
She is a contact of Case 128, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.
CASE 156
Case 156 is a 50-year-old woman who is a Singapore Permanent Resident.
She has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.
She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
CASE 157
Case 157 is a 54-year-old woman who is a Singapore Permanent Resident. She has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.
She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Mar 9 morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is a contact of Case 137, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.
CASE 158
Case 158 is a 53-year-old Singaporean woman who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.
She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Mar 9 morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH). She is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.
CASE 159
Case 159 is a 59-year-old Singaporean man who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.
He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Mar 9 morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NTFGH. He is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.
CASE 160
Case 160 is a five-year-old Singaporean boy who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.
He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Mar 9 morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
He is a family member of Case 145, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.
UPDATES ON PREVIOUS CASES
MOH also gave updates on cases 145 to 150, which were all announced on Sunday.
CASE 145
Case 145 is a 67-year-old Singaporean woman who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
She is a contact of Case 134, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong. She reported onset of symptoms on Feb 29, and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on Mar 3 and Mar 6.
She was referred to NCID on Mar 7. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Mar 8 morning. Prior to hospital admission, she had visited a shop at 16 Teck Whye Lane. She stays at Teck Whye Lane.
CASE 146
Case 146 is a 64-year-old Singaporean woman who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.
She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is a contact of Case 134, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.
She reported onset of symptoms on Mar 4, and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on Mar 5. She presented at NCID on Mar 7, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Mar 8 morning. Prior to hospital admission, she mostly stayed at her home in the Yio Chu Kang Road area.
CASE 147
Case 147 is an imported case involving a 64-year-old Indonesian man who arrived in Singapore on Mar 7. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
He reported onset of symptoms on Mar 3 while he was in Indonesia. He had a fever when he arrived at Seletar Airport, and underwent a COVID-19 swab test at the checkpoint.
He was then taken to NCID by ambulance on Mar 7 at night, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection the next morning. Prior to hospitalisation, he mostly stayed at his rental apartment in the Oxley Road area.
CASE 148
Case 148 is a 67-year-old Singaporean woman who had been in Indonesia from Feb 11 to Feb 14. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is a contact of Case 107, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.
She reported onset of symptoms on Feb 24. As she had been identified as a contact of Case 107, she was referred by MOH to NCID on Mar 2.
Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Mar 8 morning. Prior to hospital admission, she had visited Marina Bay Sands Casino. She stays at Jalan Lim Tai See.
CASE 149
Case 149 is a 62-year-old Singaporean man who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.
He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong.
He reported onset of symptoms on Feb 23 and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on Mar 7. He was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital in an ambulance on Mar 7, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection the next morning.
Prior to hospital admission, he had gone for singing classes at various community clubs and residents’ committees. He also visited Tong Whye Temple Senior Citizen Club. He stays at Jurong East Street 32.
CASE 150
Case 150 is a 53-year-old woman who is a Singapore Permanent Resident. She has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
She is a contact of Cases 115 and 134, and is linked to the cluster involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong. She reported onset of symptoms on Feb 29.
As she had been identified to be a contact of Cases 115 and 134, she was referred by MOH to NCID on Mar 7, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection the next morning.
Prior to hospital admission, she had gone for singing classes and other activities at Nanyang Community Club. She stays at Jurong West Street 64.
CRUISE SHIP TO DISEMBARK IN SINGAPORE
Passengers of a cruise ship will undergo health checks when they disembark in Singapore on Tuesday, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on Monday.
The Costa Fortuna cruise ship will dock in Singapore as part of a scheduled call after it was turned away from other ports on its itinerary in Thailand and Malaysia.
Costa Fortuna, which has a home port in Singapore, has declared that none of its passengers currently aboard the ship have a fever or other symptoms of respiratory illness.
On Monday, national carrier Singapore Airlines said that its cabin crew have been asked to wear face masks on flights.
This was a temporary “precautionary measure” to “minimise the risks for both its customers and staff”, it said.
In light of the outbreak, SIA flights have also been affected. Key affected destinations include Frankfurt, Jakarta, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Paris, Seoul, Sydney and Tokyo, the airline previously said.
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