SINGAPORE: Singapore announced 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday (Mar 6), the highest daily jump since the outbreak started here.

This brings the total number of new coronavirus cases in Singapore to 130 since the first case was confirmed on Jan 23.



One more patient has recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of discharged cases to 82.



Out of the new cases, nine are linked to the cluster involving a private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong on Feb 15.

Seventeen cases have been linked to this cluster so far. In a briefing on Friday, the Ministry of Health's (MOH) communicable diseases director Vernon Lee pointed out that not all the cases were at the dinner.



"We are still doing investigations. Not all of the cases were at the dinner. Some were family members or had links, but they were not necessarily at the dinner.

"For those who were at the dinner, we are still investigating their exact positions," said Associate Professor Lee.

MOH's director of medical services Kenneth Mak also said: "Our understanding is that people were seated at more than one table and there may have been movements that took place throughout the dinner."

One of the cases announced on Friday is a Singtel employee and one, a likely imported case, is a Singapore Airlines cabin crew member.

A second imported case is a Singapore permanent resident who had been in Germany recently. Another of the cases was in the same ward as an earlier diagnosed case.



Of the 48 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving. Nine are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

NEW CASES

Case 118

Case 118 is a 33-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.



She is a family member of cases 114 and 115, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She is currently warded in an isolation room at the National University Hospital (NUH). She reported onset of symptoms on Feb 29 and sought treatment at Pioneer Polyclinic on Mar 2.

She went to the emergency department at NUH on Mar 4 and was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 on the afternoon of Mar 5.

She lives in the Westwood Avenue area and mostly stayed home before she was admitted to hospital.

Case 119

The case is a 55-year-old Singaporean man with no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.

He is a Singtel employee, but had not gone to work since reporting onset of symptoms on Feb 27.

He is warded in an isolation room at Alexandra Hospital (AH).

He reported onset of symptoms on Feb 27 and sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic that same day, as well as on Feb 29. He went to the Urgent Care Centre at AH on Mar 1 and Mar 5.

He tested positive for the new coronavirus on the afternoon of Mar 5.

The man lives along Stirling Road and mostly stayed home before his hospital admission.

Earlier on Friday, Singtel confirmed in response to CNA's queries that one of its employees was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday night.

"Our immediate priority has been to manage and minimise the risk of infection at Singtel Comcentre 1 where our colleague worked on level 20," the company said, adding that the entire floor has been closed off and disinfected.

"Those working on the same floor have been instructed to work from home for 14 days, closely monitor symptoms and practise strict social distancing while contact tracing is conducted in tandem with MOH.

"We are moving as fast as we can to ensure all parties who have been in close contact with our affected colleague can be identified swiftly," the telco said.



Case 120



The case is a 62-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.

She is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster and is currently warded at NCID.

She reported onset of symptoms on Mar 2 and sought treatment at a GP clinic on Mar 3. As she had attended the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong on Feb 15, she was referred by MOH to NCID on Mar 5 and was immediately isolated. She tested positive for the coronavirus that afternoon.

Prior to hospital admission, she had visited Boon Lay Shopping Centre. She lives at Jurong West Street 65.

Case 121

The case is a 54-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.

She is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster and is currently warded at NCID.

She reported onset of symptoms on Feb 26 and sought treatment at a GP clinic on Mar 1.

As she had attended the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong on Feb 15, she was referred by MOH to NCID on Mar 5 and was immediately isolated. She tested positive for the virus that afternoon.

Prior to hospital admission, she had mostly stayed at home at Corporation Drive.

Case 122



Case 122 is a 64-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.



She is a close contact of Case 117 and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster. She is currently warded at NCID.

She reported onset of symptoms on Mar 3 and sought treatment at a GP clinic on Mar 5. She was referred to NCID on the same day and was immediately isolated. She tested positive for the virus in the afternoon.

Prior to hospital admission, she had visited Westgate and Keat Hong Community Club. She lives at Petir Road.



Case 123

A likely imported case, case 123 is a 47-year-old Singaporean man who had been in South Africa from Feb 14 to Feb 17 and France from Feb 22 to Feb 24.

He works as a member of the Singapore Airlines cabin crew but did not go to work after suffering symptoms.

He reported onset of symptoms on Feb 27 and sought treatment at a GP clinic that same day, as well as on Mar 2 and Mar 4. Later on Mar 4, he went to Sengkang General Hospital. He tested positive for the virus the next day.

The man mostly stayed home at Fernvale Close before he was admitted into hospital.

Case 124

Case 124 is another likely imported case, a 37-year-old Singapore permanent resident who had been in Germany from Feb 27 to Mar 5.

She was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Mar 6 morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.



Case 125

The case is a 65-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.

She is a family member of Case 128 and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.



She tested positive for COVID-19 on the morning of Mar 6 and is currently warded at NCID.

Case 126

The case is a 77-year-old Singaporean man with no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.



He was in the same ward as case 109 at Singapore General Hospital from Feb 29 to Mar 1, before case 109 was confirmed to have COVID-19.

Case 126 has been quarantined since Mar 4. He tested positive for the virus on Mar 5 and is warded at NCID.



Case 127

The case is a 64-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.

She is a close contact of case 117 and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She was confirmed to have COVID-19 on the afternoon of Mar 5 and is warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 128



Case 128 is a 70-year-old Singaporean man with no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.



He is a family member of Case 125 and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

He tested positive for COVID-19 on the morning of Mar 6 and is warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 129

The case is a 68-year-old Singaporean woman no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.

She is a family member of Case 130 and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She tested positive for the coronavirus on the morning of Mar 6 and is warded at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH).

Case 130

The case is a 66-year-old Singaporean man with no recent travel history to the affected countries and regions.

He is a family member of case 129 and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

He was confirmed to have COVID-19 on the morning of Mar 6 and is warded in an isolation room at NTFGH.

UPDATES ON PREVIOUS CASES

MOH also provided updates on cases 116 and 117 announced on Thursday.

Case 116

Case 116 is a 50-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She reported onset of symptoms on Feb 29 and sought treatment at a GP clinic on Mar 1 and Mar 3. As she had attended the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong on Feb 15, she was referred by MOH to NCID on Mar 4 and was immediately isolated.

Test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on the morning of Mar 5. Prior to hospital admission, she had mostly stayed home at Jurong West Street 81.

Case 117



Case 117 is a 52-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions but was in Malaysia on Mar 1. She is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She reported onset of symptoms on Mar 2 and as she had attended the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong on Feb 15, she was referred by MOH to NCID on Mar 4.

She was immediately isolated and tested positive for the virus on the morning of Mar 5.

Prior to hospitalisation, the woman had visited shops located at 131 Marsiling Rise and 731 Yishun Street 72. She also attended exercise classes at Petir Park and Zhenghua Nature Park. She lives at Senja Road.

TASK FORCE FORMED TO RAISE PUBLIC HYGIENE STANDARDS

On Friday, authorities announced the formation of a multi-agency task force to step up public hygiene standards in Singapore beyond the COVID-19 outbreak.

The new SG Clean Taskforce, chaired by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, is under the purview of the multi-ministry task force for COVID-19 announced in January.



The taskforce will aim to "galvanise collective action" in ensuring the cleanliness of public spaces, encouraging good personal hygiene and adjusting social norms to reduce the spread of disease.



Authorities also said that while temperature screening is an important tool in detecting COVID-19 cases, it is not a foolproof measure and should not be regarded as the only way to identify people who are unwell.

On Thursday, MOH said that four confirmed cases were linked to a new cluster at SAFRA Jurong where they attended a private dinner function.

According to SAFRA, the individuals had cleared mandatory temperature checks and did not have fever; nor had they exhibited any flu-like symptoms.



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