A passenger aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK54 was tested positive for Covid-19, resulting in the return flight being grounded at Changi Airport on Wednesday night (Mar. 4).

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) said in a statement that the Turkish Airlines flight was scheduled to depart from Changi Airport at 11:35 on Mar. 4, 2020.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed late Wednesday night that one of the passengers on TK54 which had arrived in Singapore from Turkey on Mar. 3 was tested positive for Covid-19.

MOH has started contact tracing for flight passengers who might have come into contact with the patient while he/she was infectious.

MOT, as well as the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group, are assisting the airline and passengers.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is also in contact with the Turkish Embassy on this matter.

The Boeing 787 has departed without any passengers at around 2:10am of Mar. 5.

Three pilots and 11 crew of Turkish Airlines flight TK54 which arrived in Singapore on Mar. 3 returned to Istanbul on a ferry flight with no passengers onboard, CAAS said.

About 200 passengers were either staying put at hotels or have returned home.

Its crew will quarantine themselves upon reaching Istanbul, CAAS confirmed.

As of Mar. 4, Singapore reports a total of 112 cases of Covid-19. Of these, 79 have been discharged from the hospitals and seven are in warded in the intensive care unit.

With the spread of Covid-19 across the globe, Singapore has also enhanced its precautionary measures on Mar. 3.

These include swab tests on travellers entering Singapore who have a fever or symptoms related to respiratory problems as well as barring travellers from entering if they have recent travel history to Iran, northern Italy and South Korea.

Top photo via Turkish Airlines Facebook