Para-veterinarian in police’s K-9 unit is sole community virus case
A 32-year-old Singaporean who works as a para-veterinarian at the Singapore Police Force's K-9 unit is the lone locally transmitted coronavirus case reported yesterday, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
The patient, whose job involves tele-consultations with dog handlers, developed a fever on Monday. He sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic that day, where he was tested for Covid-19 as part of enhanced community testing.
The man had remained at home on medical leave until his result came back positive on Wednesday, and he was taken in an ambulance to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases.
His case is currently unlinked, said MOH, which added that all his close contacts have been isolated and placed on quarantine. They will be tested at the start and end of their quarantine period so that asymptomatic cases can be detected.
The MOH also announced yesterday that there were 44 imported cases, bringing Singapore's total to 59,029. This is the highest number of imported cases since March 23, when there were 48 imported cases.
Among yesterday's cases were two short-term visit pass holders who arrived from Brazil to take part in an e-sports event.
There were also 29 work permit holders who arrived from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines.
Of this group, 14 are foreign domestic workers, and one is a sailor who worked on board bunker tanker NewOcean 6.
The 39-year-old Indonesian man was newly added to the NewOcean 6 cluster, which now has a total of 13 confirmed cases. He was identified as a close contact and was placed on quarantine on Dec 31. He was tested during quarantine and confirmed positive on Wednesday.
The imported cases included three Singaporeans who returned from Qatar, the Philippines and Britain.
MOH added Jem, Chong Pang City Wet Market & Food Centre, Junction Nine and Sembawang Cottage to the list of places visited by Covid-19 patients.
These visits occurred between Saturday and Sunday.
By the numbers
45 New cases
29 Deaths
1 New cases in community
35 Discharged yesterday
44 Imported cases
41 In hospital
59029 Total cases
58742 Total recovered
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