Coronavirus: Four more confirmed cases in Singapore including 6-month-old baby

Two South Korean coronavirus infections have been traced to an event at Grand Hyatt Singapore as three more cases were confirmed in the first cluster of local transmission yesterday.

The business meeting at the Scotts Road hotel from Jan 20 to 22 had involved 109 participants from a company, including 15 Singapore residents, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a press statement last night.

Four of the local residents reported symptoms and have been referred to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) for assessment. The other 11 are well.

The 94 overseas participants have all left Singapore, including a Malaysian man, 42, who was found to have the virus after returning home.

The ministry also confirmed four new infections here, bringing the total to 28.

Three of the new patients are Singaporeans linked to Chinese health products shop Yong Thai Hang in Lavender, the first local cluster, which now has seven cases.

One of them is the husband of a Singaporean tour guide, 32, who became infected after taking a group of Chinese nationals from Guangxi to the shop.

Two of the tourists have been found to have the virus.

The husband, 40, who had no recent travel history to China, works in Diamond Industries Jewellery at Harbour Drive, which was also visited by the tourists from Guangxi.

The other two patients are the husband, 45, and six-month-old son of a 28-year-old permanent resident working in Yong Thai Hang.

Her infection was announced on Tuesday, together with that of her Indonesian maid, 44.

The fourth case is a 42-year-old Chinese national who arrived here on Jan 21 with her family from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

Her mother, 73, was earlier confirmed to have the virus.

Announcing the infection of two South Koreans, aged 36 and 38, the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said yesterday they tested positive for the virus after returning from a trip to Singapore.

Both men had come into contact with an infected Malaysian during the trip.

The Malaysian man had a meal with the 38-year-old man and several other South Koreans during the conference, Reuters reported, citing South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper.

It is not known if the 36-year-old man was part of the dining group.

The 38-year-old man developed a fever two days after he went home, reported Korea JoongAng Daily.

He went to a hospital but was not classified as a suspected case because he had not been to China recently.

After the Malaysian man called to tell him about his infection, he contacted a community health centre on Tuesday and was taken to hospital.

He tested positive for the virus yesterday and has been warded at the Seoul Medical Centre.

The other South Korean sought medical treatment after falling ill upon returning home.

He has been warded at Myongji Hospital after he was confirmed to be infected.

MOH said it has informed the relevant overseas health authorities about the Grand Hyatt infections.

The hotel's marketing communications manager, Mr Gerald Kheng, told The New Paper that after receiving the news from MOH on Tuesday, it implemented operational protocols, including deep-cleaning measures in public areas, restaurants, meeting spaces, and guest rooms.

Giving more details of the local cluster, MOH said the tour group from Guangxi comprised 20 tourists who visited Singapore from Jan 22 to 23 and on Jan 27 during a transit from 3am to 6am.

The ministry has since reached out to 142 contacts, and all are well, except one who has been isolated as a suspect case and test results are pending.

It has also conducted contact tracing of the crew and passengers of their departing flight on Jan 27. Five are still here and they have been quarantined.

All four new cases are stable while one of the 24 earlier confirmed cases has been discharged, said MOH.

Of the remaining 23, most are stable or improving, except for one who requires additional oxygen support but is not in the intensive care unit.

MOH said there is still no evidence of widespread community transmission in Singapore.

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY TATIANA MOHAMAD ROSLI