Singapore confirms 2 more Wuhan virus cases, including 2nd Singaporean woman on Scoot flight from Wuhan

SINGAPORE - Two more cases of the Wuhan virus infection were confirmed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday (Feb 1), bringing the total number to 18.

The 17th case is a 47-year-old Singaporean woman who travelled to Wuhan and is one of the 92 Singaporeans evacuated from the city on Thursday.

She was on the same specially arranged Scoot flight as the first Singaporean infected with the virus, who was also a 47-year-old woman. 

Similarly, the second Singaporean to be infected with the virus was also asymptomatic when she boarded the flight.

Upon arrival at Changi Airport, she was found to have a fever during medical screening, and was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

She tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus infection on Friday at about 11pm.

The 18th case is a 31-year-old female Chinese national who arrived in Singapore from Wuhan on Jan 22. 

She was tested positive for the infection on Saturday at about 2pm.

Both of the new cases are currently stable and warded in isolation rooms at the NCID.

As with the previous cases, the MOH said it has started epidemiological investigations and contact tracing to identify individuals who had close contact with the two new cases.

MOH also provided more details on the 16th case announced on Friday. 

The 38-year-old male Chinese national arrived from Wuhan on Jan 22, and is currently warded at an isolation room at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). 

He was asymptomatic during his flight to Singapore, but developed symptoms on Jan 23. He had stayed in his home at Nathan Road until Wednesday, when he took a taxi to SGH.

He was classified as a suspect case and immediately isolated. Tests confirmed he was infected at about 2pm on Friday.

MOH said that none of the 16 previously announced cases are critically ill, and all of them remain in stable condition, with most improving.

As of noon on Saturday, 231 suspected cases have tested negative with the results for 25 cases still pending.

At the same time, MOH has identified 245 close contacts of the confirmed cases.  

Of the 177 who are still in Singapore, 172 have been contacted and are being quarantined or isolated. 

“Efforts are ongoing to contact the remaining five close contacts,” it added.

For the latest updates on the Wuhan virus, visit here.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.