Shell confirms Singapore virus case, sends staff home after another scare

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Shell said on Friday a contractor working at its Singapore refinery had contracted coronavirus, as the city state reported its biggest jump in new cases so far.

The oil giant said earlier it had sent some staff home from its main office in Singapore after discovering another employee had been in contact with a carrier.

The company said its operations at both locations had been unaffected by the incidents.

Singapore on Friday reported 9 new cases of the virus, its biggest increase to date and bringing the total to 67. The city-state has one of the highest tallies of the disease outside China.

"Shell Singapore can now confirm that a contractor working on the Pulau Bukom manufacturing site has unfortunately tested positive. We continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure the well-being of our staff and contractors," the firm said in a statement on its website.

A spokesperson for the firm earlier said in an emailed statement an employee who worked at its office in The Metropolis building had been identified as having had contact with a coronavirus patient, and that an unspecified number of staff close to him had been sent home

(Reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Mark Potter)