What we know so far about the 8 active COVID-19 clusters other than the TTSH cluster
Pedestrians wearing protective face masks along Orchard Road in Singapore on Sep 4, 2020. (File photo: Marcus Mark Ramos)
SINGAPORE: More than 80 COVID-19 cases in Singapore are linked to active clusters – the cluster at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) is the biggest, with 40 cases as of Tuesday (May 4).
Another 44 cases are linked to eight other clusters. This is what we know about them so far:
CLUSTER LINKED TO ICA OFFICER
As of Tuesday, there were 11 cases linked to this cluster. The first case detected in this cluster was a 38-year-old Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer deployed at Changi Airport Terminal 1.
The 38-year-old Singaporean developed a cough on Apr 23 and sought medical treatment the next day at a general practitioner clinic, where he was given two days' medical leave. He had gone for rostered routine testing a day before, and the result was negative.
On Apr 25, the officer gathered for a meal with seven of his family members. The next day, he developed a fever, anosmia - the loss of the sense of smell - and body aches.
He sought medical treatment at Tan Tock Seng Hospital on Apr 27, and he was tested for COVID-19. His test came back positive on the same day. ICA confirmed that the officer had earlier registered to be vaccinated, but was advised by a doctor that he was not eligible due to his drug allergy.
READ: 7 family members of ICA officer test positive for COVID-19, including 3-year-old boy
On Apr 29, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that seven family members of the ICA officer have tested positive, including his three-year-old nephew.
They had all been placed on quarantine earlier after being identified as close contacts of the man. Among these family members is the officer’s wife, a nurse at TTSH. Authorities have said there is “no obvious link” between the ICA officer’s wife and the TTSH cluster.
On May 2, a 32-year-old ICA officer deployed at the Home Team Academy was linked to this cluster. The next day, two more people, a 37-year-old Filipino housewife and her three-year-old Singaporean son were linked to the cluster.
The housewife's husband, who had previously tested positive, is one of the seven family members who shared a meal with the first detected case in the cluster.
CLUSTER LINKED TO COMMUNITY CARE FACILITY
There are four cases linked to this cluster. The first case detected was a 39-year-old Vietnamese woman, a cleaner deployed at a community care facility at Tuas South. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Apr 28.
Of the remaining cases, one is a workplace contact while the other two are household contacts. The latest link to this cluster was on May 2.
READ: New COVID-19 cluster linked to cleaner working at a community care facility in Tuas South
CLUSTER LINKED TO NUS RESEARCHER
There are five cases linked to this cluster.
The first case detected was a 34-year-old Indian national who works as a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore. The man travelled to India from Dec 28 to Mar 21, said MOH.
He started to develop symptoms from Apr 12, including fatigue, a sore throat, body aches and a fever. He stayed at home on Apr 13, before seeking medical treatment at a polyclinic the next day, where he was tested for COVID-19.
He was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Apr 15. Three of the other cases in this cluster are household contacts, including a four-year-old girl, while the remaining one case is a workplace contact.
The latest link to this cluster was Apr 29.
READ: New COVID-19 cluster in Singapore linked to NUS researcher
CLUSTER LINKED TO WESTLITE WOODLANDS DORMITORY
There are seven cases linked to this cluster, the only active cluster in a dormitory. Of the seven cases, five are re-infection cases, said MOH.
The first case detected was a 35-year-old Bangladeshi who resides at Westlite Woodlands dormitory and works as a construction supervisor at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Apr 19.
The other cases are his roommates at the dormitory.
Among the re-infection cases, two arrived from Bangladesh on Apr 6. MOH's investigations found that they were likely to have been infected while overseas, and could have passed the infection to others in the room.
READ: New cluster at Westlite Woodlands dormitory room with 5 COVID-19 cases 'likely' reinfections
CLUSTER LINKED TO VISITOR FROM INDIA
There are three cases in this cluster. The first case detected was a 79-year-old short-term visit pass holder who arrived from India to visit his family member who is a permanent resident. He tested positive for COVID-19 for his on-arrival swab.
One of the cases is the man's son, who is a permanent resident in Singapore. His parents arrived from India on Apr 15. His mother was placed in quarantine from Apr 16 to Apr 30 at a government quarantine facility. Her son requested to take care of his mother in the facility, and moved into the same room as her on Apr 16.
He developed symptoms on Apr 23 and was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases the next day, when he was confirmed to have COVID-19. He had completed the full vaccination regimen on Mar 19.
His mother tested positive on Apr 27, the most recent case linked to this cluster.
READ: Caregivers for people under COVID-19 quarantine considered on a 'case-by-case' basis: MOH
CLUSTER LINKED TO SEA CREW MEMBER
There are six cases linked to this cluster.
The first case detected was a 39-year-old Indonesian national who is a sea crew member on board a bunker tanker. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Apr 16.
The other five cases were his colleagues on board the ship. The latest link to this cluster was on Apr 26.
READ: New COVID-19 cluster in Singapore after 4 community cases linked to Indonesian sea crew member
CLUSTER LINKED TO ACCOUNTANT
There are four cases linked to this cluster.
The first case detected was a 41-year-old permanent resident who works as an accountant at global trading firm OM Universal. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Apr 16.
The other cases in this cluster are her household contacts. The latest link to this cluster was on Apr 21.
READ: Sole COVID-19 community case is 11-year-old boy linked to household cluster; 24 new infections include a dormitory resident
CLUSTER LINKED TO VISITOR FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA
There are four cases linked to this cluster.
The first case detected was a 50-year-old Colombian national who arrived from Papua New Guinea for a work project in Singapore and was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Mar 30.
Two of the cases in this cluster were identified as close contacts to the Columbian during their flight to Singapore. A workplace close contact of these two cases is the remaining infection in this cluster.
The latest link to this cluster was on Apr 13.
READ: Papua New Guinea national is Singapore's sole community infection, linked to 3 previously confirmed cases
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