7 new 2019nCoV coronavirus cases in Singapore, including taxi and private-hire drivers
Via Channel News Asia: 7 new coronavirus cases in Singapore, including taxi and private-hire drivers. Excerpt:
SINGAPORE: Singapore confirmed seven new cases of novel coronavirus on Saturday (Feb 8), including a taxi driver and a private-hire car driver, taking the country's tally to 40.
Of the 40 confirmed cases, four are in critical condition, with one requiring additional oxygen support. Two have been discharged, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a press release.
In addition to a taxi driver and a private-hire driver, the new cases include two employees of Yong Thai Hang, the health products shop linked to a local transmission cluster, and another two who attended a business meeting at Grand Hyatt hotel linked to a cluster of cases.
All seven patients have not travelled to China recently, said the ministry.
MOH said it is working with the Ministry of Transport to reach out to all taxi and private-hire drivers on the steps they should take to protect themselves.
"For the general public, the risk of infection from transient contact, such as on public transport or in public places, is assessed to be low," MOH said.
On Friday, Singapore raised the DORSCON level to Orange following several cases of novel coronavirus without any links to previous cases or travel history to mainland China.
This means the disease is deemed severe and spreads easily from person to person, but has not spread widely and is being contained. Moderate disruption is expected, due to measures such as quarantine and visitor restrictions at hospitals.