Wuhan virus: 3 new cases confirmed in Singapore, bringing total to 13

[SINGAPORE] Three more people have tested positive for the Wuhan virus in Singapore.

All are Chinese nationals from Wuhan, and there is no evidence of community spread in Singapore, the Health Ministry said on Thursday (Jan 30).

The latest patients are all in stable condition and warded in isolation rooms at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases.

They are:

- A 31 year-old woman who arrived in Singapore on Jan 22. She was a travelling companion to someone who had been confirmed as having the virus earlier, and had been quarantined from Sunday.

- A 37-year-old woman who arrived in Singapore with her family on Jan 22.

She developed symptoms on Sunday and took a taxi to Tan Tock Seng Hospital on Wednesday.

- A 73-year-old woman who arrived in Singapore on Jan 21.

As for the 10 earlier cases, none is critically ill, all remain in stable condition, and most are improving.

As of noon on Thursday, 164 of the suspected cases have tested negative for the Wuhan coronavirus, with test results for the remaining 49 cases pending; and MOH had identified 170 close contacts.

Of the 139 who are still in Singapore, 135 have been contacted and are being quarantined or isolated. Efforts are ongoing to contact the remaining four people.

Before being hospitalised, she stayed at Village Hotel Sentosa, Hotel 81 Princess and Home Suite View Hotel, both in Geylang. She had visited Orchard Road and Geylang, and had travelled by taxi.

Earlier, the Government said all 1.37 million households in Singapore will be given four surgical masks each even as it reiterated that only people who are unwell should be wearing them.

About 5.2 million masks will be given out and will be made available progressively from Saturday (Feb 1), at the 89 community centres (CC) and 654 residents' committee (RC) centres.

They should all be handed out by Feb 9.

The masks are free and can be collected only once for each household. Those collecting have to bring along their identity card.

Collection of masks for both public and private estates will start at RCs and CCs from 2pm on Saturday. From Feb 2 to Feb 9, masks can be collected from 10am to 9pm.

The masks will be delivered to those who are vulnerable and can't collect them.

About 5.2 million masks for over 1.3 million households will be given out this way, but over the past nine days, the Government has already released five million masks to retailers, it said.

While it stressed that there are enough masks here for those who need it, the authorities are sourcing for new mask suppliers, amid a global shortage, and ramping up new supplies from traditional suppliers.

Priorities of resupply will be to medical institutions.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), which has been working round-the-clock to pack the masks, will work with the People's Association to distribute the masks.

The SAF did a similar exercise during the haze crisis in 2013. Back then, over one million masks were given out through grassroots channels.

THE STRAITS TIMES