People wearing protective surgical masks walk towards the Merlion Park in Singapore on 12 February, 2020. (PHOTO: LightRocket via Getty Images)

By Nicholas Yong, Koh Wan Ting, and Wong Casandra

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (14 February) confirmed nine new cases of the novel coronavirus – the highest in a single day here to date – bringing the total number of cases here to 67.

All nine cases have no recent travel history to China, bringing the cases of local transmissions to 45, about two-thirds of the tally. Nine other cases have no established links to any previous cases or travel history to mainland China.

Associate Professor Kenneth Mak, MOH director of medical services, shared that six of the new cases are linked to the Grace Assembly of God church – one of at least five such identified clusters here – during a press conference led by a multi-ministry taskforce on the COVID-19 virus.

The other clusters are associated with health products shop Yong Thai Hang along Cavan Road, The Life Church and Missions Singapore in Paya Lebar, a business meeting at the Grand Hyatt hotel and a construction site at Seletar Aerospace Heights.

The new addition means that 13 of 67 confirmed cases are linked to Grace Assembly of God, making it the largest of the five clusters.

The remaining cases include an employee at a private hospital in Singapore and the other is a family member of a DBS employee confirmed to have the virus on Wednesday.

Prof Mak also said that two patients have fully recovered and have been discharged, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 17.

Six of the remaining 50 patients remain critically ill in the intensive care unit, while most are stable or improving.

When asked if there was a “super spreader” in the Grace Assembly of God church, Prof Mak said that there was not enough information to arrive at that conclusion.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, co-chair of the taskforce, stressed the importance of being prepared even while there is "currently no evidence" of widespread community transmission in Singapore.

Additional measures will be taken as “the situation evolves”, he added, noting that researchers have warned that there could be “many more” infections in communities around the world.

“Locally, we do expect the number of confirmed cases to increase over time. This is also partly due to the enhanced disease surveillance we have put in place," he added.

Taskforce co-chair and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said, "A few days ago, Prime Minister Lee spoke about the scenario where the virus may become more widespread and we have to change our approach."

He added, "We are not there yet."

Gan stressed that Singapore authorities have no plans to upgrade the Dorscon alert level from orange to red.

“Please help me stop the rumour. It’s already difficult, challenging enough to stop the spread of the virus...I want to say categorically that we have no plans to go to Dorscon red,” he said.

Case 60-63, 66, 67: Grace Assembly of God patients, including PUB employee

One of the six cases linked to the church is a 51-year-old Singaporean woman who works at its Tanglin branch. She reported developing symptoms on 8 February and sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic on the same day.

She went to NCID on Wednesday and was immediately isolated. She later tested positive for the virus on Thursday afternoon and is currently warded in an isolation room at the NCID.

Prior to her hospital admission, she had mostly stayed at her home at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and went to work.

Another case is a 57-year-old male Singaporean man who works at Legacy Office Supplies at 56 Senang Crescent. He reported developing symptoms on 6 February, and sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic on the same day and again on 8 February.

He went to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital on 9 February and Pioneer polyclinic on Tuesday and Wednesday. The man later tested positive for the virus on Thursday afternoon and is currently warded in an isolation room at the National University Hospital.

Prior to his hospital admission, he reported that he had mostly stayed at home at Jurong West Street 64, except to go to work for a day.

The third case is a 44-year-old Singaporean woman, who reported developing symptoms on 9 February, and sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic the next day. She went to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) on Wednesday and was immediately isolated.