Singapore identifies first novel coronavirus case: reports

A Chinese national has tested positive for novel coronavirus in Singapore, local media quoted the Ministry of Health (MOH) as saying Thursday night.

MOH said the 66-year-old patient, a Wuhan resident, arrived in Singapore with nine travelling companions on Jan. 20. He is confirmed to be the first novel coronavirus case in Singapore earlier in the day. He is currently hospitalized at the Singapore General Hospital and is in a stable condition, local media quoted MOH as saying at a press briefing Thursday night.

However, the ministry noted that there was no evidence that the virus had spread to anyone in Singapore.

The son of the confirmed patient, who had sent his father to the hospital by taking a taxi, is a suspected case and has also been warded, while the rest of the group are being quarantined and monitored for two weeks.

In addition, a 53-year-old woman from China has tested positive in preliminary tests and are awaiting confirmation. She is not travelling with the 66-year-old man.

The ministry said that in total, it has had 28 suspected cases aged one to 78 years. Seven people have been cleared earlier.