SINGAPORE: Singapore reported five new cases of COVID-19 infection, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in an update on Saturday (Feb 15).

Of these, three are linked to the cluster at Grace Assembly of God church; one is linked to the cluster at Seletar Aerospace Heights construction site and the other case is linked to a previous case.



This brings the total number of novel coronavirus infections in Singapore to 72.

Singapore's Health Minister Gan Kim Yong had earlier said authorities expect the number of COVID-19 cases to increase in part due to enhanced disease surveillance implemented.



One more patient has also been discharged from hospital as of Saturday, said MOH. She is Case 24, a 32-year-old Singaporean tour guide who brought 20 tourists from China to health products store Yong Thai Hang.

The ministry added that to date, a total of 18 cases have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from the hospital.

As of noon on Feb 15, MOH has identified 2,093 close contacts. Of the 1,959 who are still in Singapore, 1,697 have been contacted and are being quarantined or isolated.

Efforts are ongoing to contact the remaining 262 close contacts, the ministry added.

CASE 68 AND 70 ARE FAMILY MEMBERS OF CASE 66

All of the new cases announced on Saturday have no recent travel history to China, said MOH.

Case 68 is a 79-year-old female Singapore citizen and is a family member of Case 66, who is linked to the Grace Assembly of God cluster.

Case 69 is a 26-year-old Bangladesh national who is a Singapore Work Pass holder. He is linked to the cluster at Seletar Aerospace Heights construction site.

Case 70 is a 27-year-old female Singapore citizen who is also a family member of Case 66.

Case 71 is a 25-year-old male Singapore citizen and is a contact of Case 66.

Case 72 is a 40-year-old male Chinese national who is a Singapore Work Pass holder, and is a non-medical contact of Case 59, who is an anaesthesiologist.

ABOUT THE CONFIRMED CASES



Of the 54 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving. Six are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.



MOH on Saturday also released more information on the patients who were confirmed with COVID-19 on Friday.

Case 63 is a 54-year-old female Singapore citizen with no recent travel history to China, and linked to the cluster at Grace Assembly of God. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

She reported onset of symptoms on Feb 10. She sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) clinic on Feb 13, and was subsequently sent to NCID by an ambulance. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Feb 14 morning.

Prior to hospital admission, she had gone to work at PUB and self-isolated at Marisson Hotel Bugis at 103 Beach Road. She stays at Potong Pasir Avenue 3.

Case 64 is a 50-year-old male Singapore Citizen with no recent travel history to China. He is currently warded in an isolation room at the National University Hospital (NUH).

He reported onset of symptoms on Feb 3 and had sought treatment at two GP clinics on Feb 5, Feb 7, Feb 10 and Feb 13.

He was referred to the emergency department at NUH on Feb 13. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Feb 14 morning.

He is a taxi driver and prior to hospital admission, he had been working. He stays at Jurong West St 81.



Case 65 is a 61-year-old female Singapore citizen with no recent travel history to China and is a family member of Case 50.

She had been identified as a close contact of Case 50, a DBS employee. She was sent to NCID by an ambulance for assessment on Feb 12. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Feb 14 morning.

Prior to hospital admission, she had attended church services at Church of Christ the King at 2221 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8. She stays at Mei Hwan Drive.



Another patient, Case 66, is a 28-year-old male Singapore citizen with no recent travel history to China. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. He is linked to the cluster at Grace Assembly of God.

He reported onset of symptoms on Jan 29 and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on Feb 2, Feb 5 and Feb 12.

He was referred to NCID on Feb 12. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Feb 14 morning.

Prior to hospital admission, he had gone to work at Grace Assembly of God, and attended church services at God’s Kingdom Bread of Life Church at 37 Jalan Permimpin. He stays at Mei Hwan Drive.

Meanwhile, Case 67 is a 56-year-old female Singapore Citizen with no recent travel history to China.

She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is linked to the cluster at Grace Assembly of God, and family member of Case 61. She reported onset of symptoms on Feb 9.

As she was identified as a close contact of Case 61, she was sent to NCID by an ambulance on Feb 13. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Feb 14 morning.

Prior to hospital admission, she had attended church service at Grace Assembly of God at Bukit Batok, and had accompanied Case 61 to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and NUH. She stays at Jurong West Street 64.



MOH added that investigations and contact tracing have uncovered links between previously announced and new cases.



CASES 8, 9, 31, 33, 38 LINKED TO CHURCH

Cases 8 and 9, as well as Cases 31, 33 and 38, are linked to The Life Church and Missions Singapore at 146B Paya Lebar Road. This is a possible cluster involving five cases - cases 8, 9, 31, 33 and 38.

Nine of the confirmed cases, cases 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28, 34 and 40, are linked to the cluster associated with Yong Thai Hang at 24 Cavan Road.

It added that three of the confirmed cases - cases 30, 36 and 39 - are linked to the private business meeting held at Grand Hyatt Singapore from Jan 20 to 22.

Five of the confirmed cases - cases 42, 47, 52, 56 and 69 - are linked to the Seletar Aerospace Heights construction site.

Furthermore, sixteen of the confirmed cases - cases 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 66, 67, 68, 70 and 71 - are linked to the Grace Assembly of God.



Investigations on these clusters are ongoing, said MOH.



Singapore raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level to Orange last week, prompting additional precautionary measures.

The disease has killed more than 1,500 and infected more than 66,000, most of whom are in mainland China.

Chinese authorities said 1,716 medical workers have been infected during the outbreak, with six dying from the illness.

It has also spread to more than 25 countries, including Singapore, Japan and Thailand.



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