Coronavirus: 5 new cases confirmed in Singapore, 3 linked to Grace Assembly church

SINGAPORE - Five more coronavirus cases have been confirmed here, bringing the total number of those who have been infected to 72, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Saturday (Feb 15).

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

None of the new cases has recent travel history to China.

Meanwhile, one more patient, a 32-year-old woman who is case 24, has been discharged. In all, 18 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospital.

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.

As of 12pm on Saturday (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.

Singapore's Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (Dorscon) moved from Yellow to Orange on Feb 7 after the first local cases with no known link to previous cases were announced.

Dorscon Orange means the disease is severe and spreads easily between people, but it has not spread widely in Singapore and is being contained.

Dorscon Red is for when the disease is severe and spreading widely.

Dorscon Green means there are just minor problems. Yellow refers either to a mild infection, or a severe infection that is not spreading here, but about which the community needs to be careful.

The Grace Assembly of God church has the largest cluster here currently, with 16 confirmed cases.

Apart from the church, the other clusters that have been identified so far are the Life Church and Missions Singapore, the Yong Thai Hang health products shop, the Grand Hyatt Singapore and a Seletar Aerospace Heights construction site.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

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