Wuhan virus: S'pore confirms fourth imported case

In this Friday, Jan. 24,2020, photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, a medical worker attends to a patient in the intensive care unit at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province. China expanded its lockdown against the deadly new virus to an unprecedented 36 million people and rushed to build a prefabricated, 1,000-bed hospital for victims Friday as the outbreak cast a pall over Lunar New Year, the country's biggest, most festive holiday. (Xiong Qi/Xinhua via AP)

SINGAPORE (Bernama): Singapore has confirmed the fourth imported case of Wuhan coronavirus infection in the republic.

In a statement issued past midnight, Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) said the fourth confirmed case is a 36-year-old male Chinese national from Wuhan who arrived in Singapore with his family on Jan 22.

He is currently warded in an isolation room at Sengkang General Hospital (SKH) and his condition is stable, the ministry said.

It was reported that he was asymptomatic during the flight to Singapore.

He subsequently developed a cough on Jan 23 and went to the SKH Emergency Department the next day.

"He was classified as a suspect case and was immediately isolated," said the ministry, adding that subsequent tests confirmed the Wuhan coronavirus infection around 9.30pm on Jan 25.

Prior to the hospital admission, MOH said the man had stayed at Village Hotel Sentosa.

MOH said it has initiated epidemiological investigations and contact tracing to identify individuals who had close contact with him.

The first confirmed case was announced on Jan 23 and another two the following day.- Bernama