COVID-19: 3 new cases in Singapore, including one first warded as dengue patient

The Life Church and Missions along Paya Lebar Road and Grace Assembly of God church in Tanglin. Two of the new cases were linked to existing clusters linked to the churches. – ST/ANN

SINGAPORE — Three new cases of the coronavirus disease, or Covid-19, were confirmed on Wednesday (Feb 19), bringing the total number infected to 84.

Two of the new cases were linked to existing clusters – one was linked to Grace Assembly of God church and one was linked to The Life Church and Missions.

The third case has no links to travel to China or previous cases and was first warded as a dengue patient.

The 57-year-old Singaporean woman went to the emergency department at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) last Thursday and Saturday, and was admitted as a dengue patient in a general ward last Saturday.

Subsequent tests confirmed she had a coronavirus infection on Tuesday afternoon and she was immediately transferred to an isolation room.

The Health Ministry said the patients who had shared her room while she was in the general ward have been transferred to single rooms.

“They have been tested for Covid-19 infection, and the results are pending. So far, none of the contacts have any respiratory symptoms. Contact tracing of NTFGH staff who had been in contact with the case is under way. The room has also been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.”

The case linked to Grace Assembly of God church – the largest cluster here, with 22 cases – is a 35-year-old Singaporean woman. She was confirmed to have Covid-19 on Wednesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

The patient linked to The Life Church and Missions Singapore is 54-year-old Singaporean man. He has no recent travel history to China but travels frequently to Malaysia for work. He was confirmed to have the virus on Wednesday morning and is current warded in an isolation room at the NCID.