Singapore confirms two more Wuhan virus cases, taking tally to three

• One of two new cases announced on Friday involves the 37-year-old son of the earlier case and is currently in a stable condition.
• The other new case involved a 53-year-old women, a separate traveller also a resident of Wuhan.
• The hospitals have currently handled a total of 44 suspected cases with ages ranging from one to 78, with 13 negative results and three confirmed cases.

(Singapore) Singapore confirmed two more cases of a new strain of coronavirus, its health ministry said on Friday (January 24), a day after identifying its first case of the infection that originated from China.

The first case announced on Thursday (January 23) night involved a 66-year-old male resident of Wuhan travelling in Singapore. After arriving on a flight from Guangzhou airport on Monday (January 20), he developed a cough and fever the next day and was admitted to the Singapore General Hospital on Wednesday (January 22) evening where he was immediately isolated and subsequently diagnosed with pneumonia and tested positive for the new coronavirus.

One of two new cases announced on Friday involves the 37-year-old son of the earlier case and is currently in a stable condition at the same hospital with his father. The other new case involved a 53-year-old women, a separate traveller also a resident of Wuhan.

The hospitals have currently handled a total of 44 suspected cases with ages ranging from one to 78, with 13 negative results and three confirmed cases.

"We are putting in place temperature screening not just at the airport but also the land and sea checkpoints with effect from tomorrow. I think this is necessary given the rapidly escalating situation and also the high volume of travel that we expect during the Chinese new year period," said health minister, Gan Kim Yong on Thursday (January 23) evening.

The minister added that all measures would be taken to contain the possible contagion as country prepares itself to expect more cases given the high volume of travel between China and Singapore.