SIA pilot, work pass holder preliminarily positive for new strain, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper
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SIA pilot, work pass holder preliminarily positive for new strain

This article is more than 12 months old

A Singapore Airlines pilot and a work pass holder have tested preliminarily positive for the new B117 strain of the coronavirus that is circulating in Britain.

They were among 27 new cases confirmed yesterday, taking Singapore's total to 58,569.

The new B117 strain is reportedly 70 per cent more contagious but has not shown signs of being more lethal or severe.

The pilot, a 40-year-old Singaporean man, had travelled to Britain for work between Dec 19 and 22, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday.

Although he tested negative for Covid-19 upon returning to Singapore, he developed a fever on Dec 26 and sought medical treatment at a general practitioner clinic the next day, where he was swabbed and confirmed positive on Dec 29.

Further tests will be conducted to confirm the Covid-19 strain the man has.

The work pass holder who also tested preliminarily positive for the B117 strain is a 53-year-old man who returned from Britain.

He was confirmed positive on Dec 29.

Meanwhile, there were 24 other imported cases, all of whom had been placed on stay-home notice or isolated on arrival in Singapore, said MOH.

Among the imported cases, three are Singaporean, four are permanent residents, five are work pass holders and seven are work permit holders.

Of the seven work permit holders, six are foreign domestic workers.

The imported cases also include three dependant's pass holders, one student pass holder, one long-term visit pass holder, one short-term visit pass holder and one special pass holder.

The sole community case announced yesterday is a permanent resident who works as a marine surveyor at Lloyd's Register Singapore.

His case is currently unlinked. - THE STRAITS TIMES


By the numbers

27 New cases

29 Deaths

1 New cases in community 

11 Discharged yesterday 

26 Imported cases

52 In hospital

58569 Total cases

58396 Total recovered

coronavirus