293 people tested for COVID-19 after visiting KTV at HomeTeamNS Khatib on same days as confirmed cases

SINGAPORE: A total of 293 people have been tested for COVID-19 after they visited a KTV at HomeTeamNS Khatib on the same days as three confirmed cases, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (Aug 19).

The "precautionary" tests were done after three people who tested positive for COVID-19 were found to have visited Jewel Music Box KTV at HomeTeamNS Khatib during its preview on Aug 1 and 2.

In all, MOH has contacted 321 people who visited the karaoke outlet on those two days and facilitated COVID-19 tests for them.

NEARLY 200 TEST RESULTS PROCESSED

Of the people swabbed, 193 test results have been processed and come back negative for COVID-19.

This includes four people who had reported acute respiratory infection symptoms and were taken to hospital for further medical assessment, said MOH.

Another 100 swabs are pending test results. The ministry said it is facilitating testing for the remaining 28 people who have yet to be swabbed.

MOH said it took the "precautionary measure" to contact and facilitate testing for everyone who visited the KTV on Aug 1 and 2 after the three confirmed cases were detected, even though the risk of infection for visitors was "assessed to be low".

The ministry said on Saturday that visitors had been invited to preview the yet-to-be-opened karaoke outlet at HomeTeamNS Khatib on the two dates, with most staying only for a short time.

No singing activities were held as the premises were not operational during the visits.

MAP: All the places that COVID-19 community cases visited while they were infectious

PROFILES OF 3 CASES

The three COVID-19 cases who had visited the karaoke outlet on Aug 1 and 2 include a 57-year-old Singaporean woman who was tested after she sought medical treatment for prolonged acute respiratory infection symptoms. She was confirmed as positive for COVID-19 on Aug 8.

A 58-year-old Singaporean man who had also visited the KTV was identified as a contact of the 57-year-old woman and had been placed on quarantine. He was tested during quarantine and confirmed as positive on Aug 11.

The third confirmed case who visited the karaoke outlet is a 39-year-old Singaporean woman who was detected under MOH’s enhanced community testing to test all individuals aged 13 and above who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection at the first presentation to a doctor.

The woman, who was also listed by MOH as a contact of the first two cases, was confirmed as having COVID-19 on Aug 15.

MOH had previously said that two of the three confirmed cases had been at the KTV for long periods for work purposes. It did not identify who they were.

According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Singapore Tourism Board, entertainment venues such as karaoke outlets are not allowed to reopen during Phase 2 due to safe management considerations.

HomeTeamNS told CNA previously that a series of cleaning and disinfection was carried out after MOH reported on Aug 12 that two COVID-19 cases had visited the Khatib clubhouse on five occasions over four days between Jul 31 and Aug 3.

Two of those occasions involved visits to Suki-Suki Thai Hot Pot and Orchid Live Seafood restaurants in the clubhouse.

Affected outlets and all common areas at the HomeTeamNS Khatib clubhouse were thoroughly disinfected by a National Environment Agency-appointed cleaning agency, said HomeTeamNS.

On Wednesday, Singapore reported 93 more COVID-19 infections, including two cases in the community and six imported. This takes the country's total number of cases to 56,031.

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