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The 2020 coronavirus outbreak was confirmed to have spread to Singapore on 23 January 2020.

Timeline

The first case in Singapore was confirmed on 23 January, involving a 66-year-old Chinese national from Wuhan who flew from Guangzhou via China Southern Airlines flight CZ351 with nine companions and stayed at Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort and Spa. Contact tracing subsequently commenced.

The first few cases classified as local transmission were reported on 4 February. Yong Thai Hang, a shop that mainly serves Chinese tourists, was identified as the locus of the infection, where four women without recent history of travel to China contracted the virus.

On 4 February, the first recovery was reported, as Case 7, a 35-year old Chinese male from Wuhan was discharged from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases after testing negative.

As of 14 February, there were a total of 67 confirmed cases with 17 since discharged. Authorities have raised the nation's Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level from yellow to orange on 7 February.

Out of the 22 locally transmitted cases, 15 were linked to three known clusters: The Life Church and Missions Singapore, health products shop Yong Thai Hang and a business meeting at Grand Hyatt hotel. Another two clusters were uncovered on 13 February, at the Seletar Aerospace Heights construction site and Grace Assembly of God.

On 8 February, the prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, expressed his worry about "some" cases with no known chain of transmission of the infection directly from Wuhan or indirectly via cases traced in Singapore. He suggested that it might become "futile to try to trace every contact". As of 12 February 2020, there were 9 cases with no known links to origin of infection; on 13 February there were 7 untraced cases (out of 58), for which contact tracing was ongoing.

Template:2019–20 Wuhan coronavirus data/Singapore medical cases

Preventive measures

The Ministry of Health issued a health advisory on 2 January, and implemented temperature checks for passengers arriving in Changi Airport from Wuhan the following day. On 20 January, temperature screening at Changi Airport was extended to all travellers coming from China. In addition, individuals with pneumonia who had travelled to Wuhan within 14 days before the onset of symptoms will be isolated in hospital. On 22 January, quarantine measures were extended to travellers who arrived from China and displayed symptoms.

After three more suspected cases were detected on 22 January, a multi-ministry taskforce was convened to tackle the virus. The MOH advised against non-essential trips to Wuhan and expanded the travel advisory the following day to all of Hubei. With the first confirmed case on 23 January, border control measures were enhanced and extended to land and sea checkpoints on 24 January with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore starting temperature checks from noon of that day. In addition, schools asked parents to declare their travel plans and monitor their children's health. Other measures will also be taken to ensure the safety of students after the first case was confirmed on 23 January. MINDEF has since issued two medical advisories to service personnel earlier in January.

Scoot cancelled flights to Wuhan between 23 and 26 January over the virus outbreak, after a lockdown was imposed. The suspension was later extended to 29 March.

It was reported on 24 January that holiday chalets were being prepared as quarantine centres. Some of these chalets had served as quarantine centres in previous outbreaks, such as the 2003 SARS outbreak and 2009 flu pandemic. Measures such as temperature screening and quarantine facilities were in place at foreign worker dormitories.

On 27 January, Singaporeans were advised to avoid non-essential travels to China. Temperature screening at Changi Airport was also expanded to all incoming flights, with extra scrutiny on flights from China. 14 days of leave is to be imposed on students and teachers, alongside with workers who work with vulnerable populations, such as pre-school, elderly and healthcare, returning from mainland China. In addition to the chalets, university hostels at National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, and Singapore Management University are being prepared as quarantine facilities. The government also clamped down on false statements and rumours, with HardwareZone forum site receiving a Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) notice on a false statement claiming one man was dead due to the virus. Other measures include expanded communication channels, and cleaning protocols and disinfection of premises after incidents.

On 28 January, enhanced quarantine measures were announced.

National Service (NS) pre-enlistees who have travelled to China and are due for enlistment will be given a mandatory leave of absence for up to 14 days, said the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a joint media statement on 28 January.

Each household will be distributed with four surgical masks from 1 February. These masks are meant to be used by the person in the household who is feeling unwell and has to make a trip to the doctor. The distribution came after a scramble for surgical and N95 masks, hand sanitisers, and thermometers, which led to shortages and price gouging.

From 4 February onwards, with the reports of limited local transmission where a case patient is a tour guide with prolonged contact with Chinese tourists, as an added precaution, individuals who had recent close contact with people with travel history to mainland China will be contacted as well. In cases where detection of infected patients happened cross border, authorities would begin epidemiological investigations and identify individuals who had close contact of the case patient upon receiving notification, as seen in the case of a Malaysian who was tested positive in Malaysia and likely to have acquired the virus while having a meeting with colleagues from China, including one from Wuhan, in Singapore.

As of 9 February, all Work Pass holders with travel history to mainland China within the last 14 days are required to obtain Ministry Of Manpower’s prior approval before attempting to enter Singapore.

On 14 February, the Ministry of Health reactivated Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) and advised doctors to give five days of medical leave for patients with respiratory symptoms.

References

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External links

• https://sgwuhan.xose.net - interactive map of Singapore SARS-CoV-2 cases

• Current events from January 2020
• 2019–20 Wuhan coronavirus outbreak
• Singapore
• 2020 in Singapore
• Health disasters in Singapore
• Health in Singapore