Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Singapore prime minister tests positive for COVID again in rare rebound case

Singapore Prime Minster Lee Hsien Loong delivers a speech at a session of the International Conference on "The Future of Asia" in Tokyo on May 26, 2022. Singapore announced it will decriminalize sex between men by repealing a colonial-era law while protecting the city-state's definition of marriage. During his speech on Aug. 21 at the annual National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he believed it is the "right thing to do now" as most Singaporeans will now accept it. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, file) Singapore Prime Minster Lee Hsien Loong delivers a speech at a session of the International Conference on "The Future of Asia" in Tokyo on May 26, 2022. Singapore announced it will decriminalize sex between men by repealing a colonial-era law while protecting the city-state's definition of marriage. During his speech on Aug. 21 at the annual National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he believed it is the "right thing to do now" as most Singaporeans will now accept it. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, file)
Share
SINGAPORE -

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Thursday that he tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time in less than two weeks, in a rare case of a rebound.

Lee, 71, was diagnosed with COVID-19 for the first time on May 22, following work trips to Africa and Asia. He tested negative six days later. But in a Facebook post Thursday, Lee shared a photo of a positive antigen rapid test that he took.

"I feel fine but I am afraid I have turned COVID-19 positive again. My doctors say it is a COVID rebound, which happens in 5-10 percent of cases," he said in his post.

Lee said he has been advised to self-isolate as the virus is still infectious, although the risk is lower compared to the initial infection. He said he had looked forward to attending the consecration ceremony of an Indian temple early Thursday but has to "miss it to keep others around me safe."

Lee will also have to skip a bilateral meeting Friday with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is due to give a keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore. Albanese tweeted Thursday that he called Lee to wish him a speedy recovery. Albanese said he looks forward to meeting instead with Lee's deputy Lawrence Wong.

Wong is tipped as successor to Lee, who has been in power since 2004.

In his earlier diagnosis, Lee said he was prescribed the Paxlovid anti-viral medication due to his age. He didn't say if he was prescribed any medication this time. He has said his last COVID-19 vaccine booster was in November and urged Singaporeans to keep their vaccinations up to date to reduce the risk of severe illness.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Days after a political sign was erected outside Lululemon founder Chip Wilson's Vancouver mansion, the waterfront property has been vandalized with graffiti.

A disgraced Winnipeg high school football coach convicted of sexual assault and luring will spend 20 years behind bars.

Two people are in hospital after they were chased and shot at in what appears to be an act of road rage before eventually flipping their car while trying to escape, police say.

The day after a minivan was set ablaze outside Vancouver City Hall, a 78-year-old man has been criminally charged.

Local Spotlight

A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.

Bernie Hicks, known as the ‘Batman of Amherst,’ always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.

Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.

Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

Manitobans are in cleanup mode after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province this weekend.

Avry Wortman, 13, scored two touchdowns on Sunday during her team's win in the under 14 Greater Moncton Football Association.

A gargantuan gourd – affectionately named ‘Orangina’ by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home – earned the massive honour of being named B.C.’s heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.