SINGAPORE, Feb 25 (NNN-CNA) — A Filipino national in Singapore has tested positive for COVID-19, said the Philippine Embassy.
This is the first case of a Filipino national with the coronavirus reported in Singapore, and the island’s 89th patient.
In a statement that was published on Facebook, the Philippine Embassy said that the person is now warded in an isolation room in a Singapore hospital.
The patient’s personal details were not shared, said the embassy, citing the Singapore Ministry of Health’s (MOH) patient confidentiality and privacy policy.
“The Philippine Embassy is in close contact and coordination with the Ministry of Health of Singapore. The Philippine Embassy stands ready to provide all consular assistance to the patient as needed.
MOH on Sunday said case 89 is a 41 year-old male Singapore permanent resident.
He has no recent travel history to China.
The embassy encouraged Filipinos in Singapore to “maintain vigilance, observe proper hygiene, avoid crowds or large gatherings and frequently monitor personal health”, urging those who suffer symptoms such as fever, coughing and breathing difficulty to see a doctor immediately.
It also encouraged Filipinos to follow the Singapore Government’s advisory against non-essential travel to Daegu City and Cheongdo county in South Korea and to exercise caution when travelling to the rest of the country.
South Korea raised its emergency response alert to “grave” on Sunday after reporting three more deaths and 169 new infections. — NNN-CNA
