Coronavirus: Two of five patients who attended Paya Lebar church were not known to the church
SINGAPORE - Two of the five patients in a possible cluster of infected cases linked to a church in Paya Lebar were foreigners who had visited the church on their own, said a spokesman from the The Life Church and Missions Singapore said on Sunday (Feb 9).
"We only learnt about their link with the church through official government reports," said a spokesman in response to queries from The Straits Times.
Of the other three, one of them did not attend a cell group. The other two belonged to different cell groups, said the church spokesman.
The authorities had on Saturday evening (Feb 8) identified The Life Church and Missions Singapore as a possible infection cluster, with five cases linked to the church at 146B Paya Lebar Road.
This includes one of the seven cases announced by the Health Ministry (MOH) on Saturday - a woman, 52, who had visited the church. MOH had said epidemiological investigations and contact tracing uncovered links with four earlier patients, making the church a possible new cluster of five cases (Cases No 8, 9, 31, 33 and 38).
The church spokesman identified Cases No 8 and 9 as the foreigners who had visited the church on their own.
The Health Ministry had earlier said the two cases were a couple, both 56, who are both Chinese nationals from Wuhan. They arrived together in Singapore on Jan 19.
Cases No 31, 33 and 38 are Singaporeans. They include:
- a man, 53, living at Tampines Street 24 who had gone to Malaysia on 6, 11 and 17 January
- a woman, 39, who was in Malaysia from 22 to 29 January, and
- a woman, 52, living at Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3.
On Sunday (Feb 9), the church told The Straits Times that it has decided to stop cell group meetings and home gatherings to minimise the spread of the virus, the church spokesman said.
This is on top of earlier precautions it had taken, such as engaging a professional cleaning company to disinfect its premises. It had also announced that it will be stopping all physical meetings and services in the church for at least two weeks since Friday (Feb 7).
Its Sunday service had been live-streamed on YouTube instead.
The spokesman said that the church reopens, it will abide by advisories issued by the Health Ministry, and perform temperature screenings to look out for worshippers who may be feeling unwell.
"We will also prepare masks for those who have the need for them," said the spokesman in an e-mail.
During the service on Sunday, the church's pastor Reverend Vincent Choo cautioned congregants against xenophobia, urging them to continue praying for Singapore, China and medical staff at the frontlines of the battle against the ongoing outbreak.
Speaking in Mandarin during the service, which was live-streamed from about 10.30am, he told congregants it was understandable if they were alarmed by news that the church had been identified as a potential new cluster.
But he said the outbreak was not the fault of any particular group of people.
Instead, people should continue praying for medical staff, Singapore, as well as those living in ground zero in China.
In his sermon, Reverend Choo had warned the congregation that they may be shunned following news that the church had been identified as a possible infection cluster, and asked for their understanding.
The church spokesman later told The Straits Times that there has to be mutual understanding.
"Those who are being shunned have to understand it is normal human reaction to be concerned and worried, and thus not take the perceived rejection too much to heart," said the spokesman.
"On the other hand, while the fear is real, we also need to be objective and aware that since the symptoms of this virus is similar to common flu, we should try not to over-react when someone display certain symptoms."
Still, it was important for all to exercise social responsibility to prevent the spread of the virus, and to wear masks when necessary.
Added the spokesman: "The values of Christianity include that of love, service and acceptance, these are the virtues which are much needed during times like this."