Coronavirus outbreak hits Singapore, five patients confirmed

Singapore confirmed its fifth case of coronavirus on Monday. According to the Ministry of Health, the patient is a 56-year-old female Chinese national from Wuhan who arrived in Singapore on January 18. As of now, the deadly virus has claimed nearly 106 lives in China with 4,515 confirmed cases. 

Sent to isolation in NCID

The infected woman has been warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Disease and is in a stable condition, reported international media. Meanwhile, the ministry said that the patient did not show any symptoms while on the flight but developed them later. On January 24, she was taken to Tan Tock Seng hospital in an ambulance.

The ministry officials revealed that she did not have any connections to the previous patients. They further said that she was classified as a suspect case and was immediately sent to isolation in NCID. Subsequent test results confirmed that she has been infected with coronavirus on January 27.

Read: Germany Confirms First Case Of New Virus

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In a bid to detect spread of infection further, the health ministry has already begun to trace back the contacts who came in close contact with her. All the five identified cases in Singapore had travelled to China. 

Read: Thermal Screening For Novel Coronavirus Will Be Extended To 20 Airports: Health Minister

Read:Coronavirus: Preparations For Evacuating Indians Stranded In Hubei Has Begun, Says MEA

Meanwhile, Japan has confirmed a victim of Coronavirus who has never been to China on January 28. China's immediate neighbour, Mongolia has closed all universities and educational institutes until March 2 to prevent the spread of deadly coronavirus. Citing a cabinet meeting, Mongolian state media also said that it has closed the border crossings for auto vehicles and pedestrian traffic.

The US was preparing to fly their citizens out of the city as Wuhan along with other major cities is under lockdown. UK and Japan had also put forth their plans to bring their citizens 'home'. 

German authorities on Tuesday said the country's first patient of a deadly new virus was in a "clinically good condition." In a news conference in the Bavarian capital Munich, the officials said that the man from the nearby town of Starnberg was being isolated and medically monitored for the coronavirus.

(with inputs from agencies)