Health officials have confirmed that a 61-year-old woman has become the latest person to have contracted the coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the city to 94.
Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Center for Health Protection’s Communicable Disease Branch, announced at a press briefing on Friday afternoon that case 94’s samples tested positive today. She was among the batch of Hongkongers who had been stranded on the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship and returned to the city via a government-chartered flight.
Chuang confirmed that the woman went on the cruise ship with her husband, sister, and brother-in-law.
When asked by reporters about the condition of the dog that had tested “weak positive” for the coronavirus, Chuang said that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department still needed to carry out further tests.
When asked by a reporter if any other pets had been put into quarantine, she confirmed that one cat was taken in, but tested negative for the virus.
Check out updates from Coconuts newsrooms across Southeast Asia:
Singapore
- Singapore reported three new cases last night, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 96.
- New cases involve a 12-year-old student from Raffles Institution and an elderly member of his family.
- The school, viewed by many Singaporeans as an “elite” school, suspends classes today for thorough cleaning as well as most extra-curricular activities for two weeks.
- Singapore has been seeing only a handful of new cases each day but the number could rise anytime, the Health Ministry’s chief health scientist reportedly said yesterday, adding that “it is premature to say that the worst is over.”
Manila
- Three Filipinos from the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in New Clark City, Tarlac, showed COVID-19-like symptoms – coughing and sore throat – and were transferred to a hospital. Two later tested negative for COVID-19 while the results for the third were still pending.
- Their samples were sent to a local research institute.
- The health department is tracking down around 26 South Koreans who landed in Cebu from Daegu City on Tuesday, a day after the government imposed travel restrictions on North Gyeongsang province, where most coronavirus infections in the country have been found.
- The Philippines imposed a travel ban on the South Korean province after over 1,200 people tested positive for the virus there, at least 12 of whom have died.
- The South Koreans being traced by the health department will not be asked to return to their country but will just be observed in the Philippines.
Thailand
- Thailand reported its 41st case Friday morning.
- Two schools closed in Thailand today for thorough cleaning over coronavirus fears.
- An international school in Don Mueang district closed today after a group of 500 students and teachers reportedly returned from a virus-hit country. It was unclear which country that was.
- A private school in Rayong also closed today amid rumors a pupil fell ill after returning from Japan. Many Bangkok schools were already closed this week due to hazardous air pollution.
- A Thai medical team yesterday urged those suspected of contracting COVID-19 and with recent travel history to virus-hit countries to avoid withholding any information that may be useful to health authorities.
- The announcement by Siriraj Hospital’s medical team comes after a newly infected man, 65, who recently traveled to Japan, did not disclose his travel history until his test results came out.
Malaysia
- Malaysia reported another case yesterday involving a person who recently traveled to Japan.
- The 53-year-old Malaysian woman tested positive yesterday, days after she returned from Japan on Feb. 23.
- The American woman from the MS Westerdam cruise ship who tested positive for the infection in Malaysia has “recovered fully,” Malaysia’s health authority said.
Indonesia
- The Jakarta Globe reported yesterday that a man suspected of having COVID-19 had died in Semarang in Central Java. But doctors from the Kariadi Hospital said test results showed he had swine flu.
- Indonesia’s health minister yesterday reportedly defended the country’s absence of coronavirus, saying that it had been a “blessing from the Almighty,” Reuters reported.
- Meanwhile, an Indonesian national who tested positive for COVID-19 in Taiwan has been posting cheerful TikTok videos.
