Dhaka: Singapore has reported 27 new cases of COVID-19 on December 30, including one infection in the community. The remaining cases were imported. Among them was a Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilot who had tested negative for COVID-19 upon returning to Singapore from the United Kingdom, later developed symptoms, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

The 40-year-old Singaporean was also one of two new cases who preliminarily tested positive for the potentially more contagious B117 strain circulating in the UK. Further tests will be conducted to confirm the strain, said MOH.

The pilot had travelled to the UK for work from Dec 19 to 22 and was tested on Dec 23 as part of protocols for aircrew who travel frequently, said MOH. That test came back negative. He developed a fever on Dec 26 and sought medical treatment at a general practitioner clinic the next day where he was swabbed. The COVID-19 test came back positive on Dec 29.

The sole community case involved a 46-year-old Singapore permanent resident who is a marine surveyor at Lloyd’s Register Singapore. He works on board vessels docked at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard.

According to MOH, he developed acute respiratory infection symptoms on Dec 27 and sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic the next day where he was tested for COVID-19.

He was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Dec 29 and was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). His serological test result was negative.

The man had not gone to work since the onset of symptoms, said the ministry. His earlier tests from rostered routine testing – the last being on Dec 14 - had been negative for COVID-19.

All his identified close contacts, including his family members, have been isolated and placed on quarantine. They will be tested at the start and end of their quarantine period, said MOH.

"We will also conduct serological tests for the close contacts to determine if the case could have been infected by them," the ministry added.

Among the imported cases, seven are Singaporeans or permanent residents who returned from India, Indonesia, Portugal, the UK, the US and Switzerland.

Five are work pass holders who arrived from the Philippines, India, and the UK.

The work pass holder who arrived from the UK, a 53-year-old man, preliminarily tested positive for the B117 strain and is pending further confirmatory tests, said MOH.