3 of 10 new community COVID-19 cases linked to TTSH cluster; 28 infections reported in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Ten community cases were among 28 new COVID-19 infections reported in Singapore as of noon on Sunday (May 9), said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Seven of the 10 community cases are linked to previous cases, said MOH on Sunday night, after it said on Sunday afternoon in its preliminary daily update that five were linked.

Three community cases are unlinked.

The remaining 18 cases were imported and were placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon their arrival in Singapore, MOH said.

No new infections were reported in migrant workers' dormitories.

THREE MORE LINKED TO TTSH CLUSTER

Three of the seven linked community cases had been patients at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) Ward 9D. All of the new cases linked to the TTSH cluster are Singaporeans.

The cluster, which had no new cases for four consecutive days, now has 43 infections in total.

Among the new cases reported on Sunday is a 52-year-old man, Case 63007, who had been warded from Apr 10 and was transferred to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) on Apr 29.

He was discharged on May 2 and placed in quarantine until May 12, MOH said. He was tested twice for COVID-19, on Apr 28 and Apr 30, and both results were negative. 

On May 7, he developed a cough and reported the symptom to MOH. The man was taken by an ambulance to Alexandra Hospital and was tested again on May 8. The test came back positive on the same day, and he was transferred to NCID.

His serological test is negative.

The second new case linked to the cluster is a 90-year-old man, known as Case 63008, who had been warded from Apr 23 and was transferred to the NCID on Apr 28. 

He was tested for COVID-19 on the same day, and daily between May 1 and May 7. All his test results came back negative.

READ: Authorities studying possibility of airflow and ventilation issues at Tan Tock Seng Hospital ward

On May 8 he was tested again despite being asymptomatic and it returned a positive result. His serology test came back negative.

The third new case linked to the TTSH cluster is a 78-year-old woman who had been warded from Apr 20 and discharged on Apr 25.

She was placed on quarantine until May 9 and was tested for COVID-19 on Apr 30, which returned negative.

On May 8, she developed a cough and runny nose and reported her symptoms to MOH.

Her test came back positive for COVID-19 on the same day, and she was transferred to NCID. Her serological test result is pending.

GRAB DRIVER AMONG NEW UNLINKED CASES

A 38-year-old Grab driver is among the new unlinked community cases reported on Sunday.

The Singaporean man developed a fever and cough on May 7 and sought medical treatment on the same day at a general practitioner clinic, where he was tested for COVID-19.

He was confirmed to be positive the next day and he was taken by ambulance to Alexandra Hospital, MOH said.

The man's serological test result is negative and he has not worked since the onset of symptoms.

He tested preliminarily positive for the B1617 variant of the virus that was first discovered in India, and is pending further confirmatory tests.

He lives with his girlfriend, a short-term pass holder who arrived from Vietnam on Apr 12, MOH said. She served her stay-home notice at a dedicated facility until Apr 26, and a test taken on Apr 25 was negative for COVID-19.

READ: 4 new COVID-19 cases, including Grab driver, test 'preliminarily positive' for B1617 variant from India

The second unlinked case is a 40-year-old Singaporean woman who works as a risk assessment personnel at real estate and investment company Lendlease.

She has been working from home since Apr 30, MOH said.

She developed a fever on May 7 and was tested for COVID-19 when she sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic on the same day. 

Her test result came back positive the next day, and she was taken in an ambulance to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

She has also tested preliminarily positive for the B1617 variant of the virus and is pending further confirmatory tests, MOH said. Her serological test result is negative.

The third unlinked community case reported on Sunday is a 47-year-old Singaporean man working as a landscaper at NParks.

He usually works off-site and occasionally returns to the office but has not gone to work after the onset of symptoms, MOH said.

The man developed a fever on the night of May 6 and sought treatment at a general practitioner the next day, where he was tested for COVID-19.

His test result came back positive on May 8, and he was taken in an ambulance to Sengkang General Hospital.

His serology test is negative for the N antigen, which suggests the presence of an early infection, the ministry said.

He received his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on Apr 23 and has not received the second dose, MOH added.

READ: About 9,000 to be tested as Changi Airport steps up COVID-19 precautionary measures

NEW CLUSTER LINKED TO CHANGI AIRPORT CLEANER

A new cluster of eight cases has been identified. Four community cases reported on Sunday are linked to the cluster involving a cleaner who is deployed at Changi Airport.

Two of the new cases were employed by Ramky Cleantech Services as cleaners. The other cases involve an auxiliary police officer and a SATS passenger escort.

READ: New COVID-19 cluster linked to cleaner at Changi Airport

Three of the four new cases have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

One of the cleaners and the auxiliary police officer have also tested preliminarily positive for the B1617 variant, MOH said.

IMPORTED CASES

The remaining 18 cases on Sunday were imported and were placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore.

A Singaporean and 10 permanent residents who returned from India, Indonesia and Yemen are among the imported cases.

Four are work permit holders who arrived from Indonesia, all of whom are foreign domestic workers. 

Also among the imported cases are a work pass holder who arrived from Malaysia and a short-term visit pass holder who arrived from Indonesia and whose family member is a Singaporean.

The remaining imported case is a special pass holder working as a sea crew member. He arrived from Malaysia on a vessel and was tested onboard without disembarking. 

READ: Plaza Singapura and Junction 9 among places visited by COVID-19 cases during their infectious period

"Overall, the number of new cases in the community has decreased from 50 cases in the week before to 39 cases in the past week," MOH said.

The number of unlinked cases in the community has increased from 10 cases in the week before to 13 cases in the past week, it added.

Of the 141 cases reported from May 3 to May 9, 55 have tested positive for their serology tests, while  62 have tested negative. Another 24 cases have their results pending.

Twenty-one more cases have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, bringing the total number of recoveries to 60,933.

There are currently 133 cases still in hospital, most of whom are stable or improving. Two cases are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

Another 262 are isolated and cared for at community facilities. These are people who have mild symptoms, or are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19.

VICTORIA JUNIOR COLLEGE

About 2,200 students and staff members at Victoria Junior College will also be tested after a student contracted COVID-19. Ninety-five students and eight staff members who came into close contact with her have been placed in quarantine. 

READ: Singapore returns to tighter COVID-19 measures: What's allowed under the new rules?

Singapore has tightened its COVID-19 measures amid a rise in community cases, with limits on social gatherings reduced from eight people to five from May 8 to May 30.

Some high-risk places, such as indoor gyms and fitness studios, have had to close unless they offered low-intensity activities. Capacity limits at workplaces, public attractions, libraries, funerals and MICE events have also been reduced.

As of Sunday, Singapore has reported a total of 61,359 COVID-19 cases and 31 fatalities from the disease.

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