TTSH cluster: 88-year-old woman dies from COVID-19 complications

SINGAPORE: An 88-year-old woman linked to the cluster at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has died from complications related to COVID-19, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday (May 1).

The Singaporean woman - identified as Case 62573 - had a history of cancer, hypertension, congestive cardiac failure, stroke and hyperlipidaemia. She is Singapore's 31st COVID-19 fatality and the first in more than a month.

She had been staying in Ward 9D since Apr 14, and was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Apr 28. 

"NCID (National Centre for Infectious Diseases) has reached out to her family and is extending assistance to them," said MOH.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, TTSH said "special arrangements were made for her family to video conference her and visit her from outside her isolation room" during her last moments.

"Our deepest condolences go out to her family and we will continue to offer all the assistance they may need during this difficult time," the hospital added.

READ: 7 community cases and 2 dormitory residents among 34 new COVID-19 infections in Singapore

The TTSH cluster is Singapore's first in a hospital and currently the country's largest with 16 COVID-19 cases. 

Four hospital wards have been locked down and 76 employees placed on leave of absence since a nurse who works in Ward 9D tested positive for the virus on Apr 27.

Nine patients from Ward 9D - including the 88-year-old woman - and a family member of a patient in the same ward have contracted COVID-19. 

Another patient from Ward 9C has also tested positive. The remaining cases are two doctors, a healthcare assistant trainee and a cleaner working in the hospital. 

The hospital currently has 1,100 patients and 4,500 staff members working at the main wards - all of whom will be swabbed, TTSH CEO Eugene Soh said on Friday.

Close contacts of the cases, including patients, visitors and staff who have been in the affected wards have been placed on quarantine.

Visitors are not allowed at the hospital except on a case-by-case basis for patients who are critically ill.

READ: COVID-19: Staff placed on leave of absence, 4 wards locked down as Tan Tock Seng Hospital moves to contain cluster

The last COVID-19 death in Singapore was reported on Mar 13, when a 61-year-old man died from complications due to the coronavirus.

Singapore reported 34 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, including seven in the community, two dormitory residents and 25 imported cases. 

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