Coronavirus: ‘some people may succumb’, says Singapore as cases hit 50

Eight coronavirus patients are in critical condition and 15 have recovered, with total number of infections in Singapore climbing to 50

Two of the new cases, workers at Grace Assembly of God churches, represent Singapore’s fifth infection cluster

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A thermal monitor outside an office building in the central business district of Singapore. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 8:30pm, 12 Feb 2020Updated: 2:58pm, 25 Feb 2020

Eight coronavirus patients in Singapore are in critical condition and the public should be prepared for people to “succumb to the infection”, health authorities said on Wednesday as they announced three new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 50.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong said health care workers would provide the eight patients in the intensive care unit with “the best care possible”. Gan also said Singapore should prepare for the worst. “While most infected patients will recover, some may become seriously ill and a small number may succumb to the infection ultimately.”

Authorities said there was no discernible trend among the eight in critical condition.

The Singapore government reiterated that it would foot public hospital bills incurred by both local and foreign coronavirus patients. Currently, all confirmed cases of the disease are admitted to public hospitals for isolation in a bid to prevent community transmission.

Globally, there have been more than 45,000 infections and 1,115 deaths. Hong Kong and the Philippines are the only places outside mainland China to have registered a death, with one in each.

Of the three new cases in Singapore, two work at Grace Assembly of God churches in Tanglin and Bukit Batok, while the third is a 62-year-old male employee of DBS Bank. The bank evacuated 300 staff from its premises on Wednesday after the infection was confirmed.

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