6 new community COVID-19 cases in Singapore; Tan Tock Seng Hospital cluster closes
Staff members and pedestrians are seen outside Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore on Apr 30, 2021. (File photo: CNA/Calvin Oh)
SINGAPORE: Singapore reported six new COVID-19 community cases as of noon on Sunday (Jun 6), including one with no links to previous cases.
The other five community infections were linked to earlier cases and had already been placed in quarantine, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
There were also 14 imported cases, all of whom were placed on stay-home notice or were isolated upon arrival in Singapore. Twelve of them were returning Singaporeans or permanent residents.
No new infections were reported in migrant workers' dormitories.
In all, 20 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Singapore on Sunday.
PAYA LEBAR METHODIST GIRLS' SCHOOL STUDENT IS SOLE UNLINKED CASE
A 13-year-old Singaporean student at Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School was the only unlinked infection reported on Sunday. She was last in school on May 18.
She developed anosmia, or the loss of smell, on May 29, and did not seek treatment until Jun 4 when she visited a general practitioner clinic and was tested for COVID-19, said MOH.
Her test result came back positive for COVID-19 the next day and her serology test result is pending.
TWO STUDENTS LINKED TO TEKTRONIX CLUSTER
Two new community cases - both students - were linked to the Tektronix cluster.
One of them was a 13-year-old Singaporean student at Canberra Secondary School. Identified as Case 64065, he was last in school on May 18.
The boy is a family member and household contact of three other cases, and a household contact of another case. He was placed in quarantine on May 25, and was tested for COVID-19 on Jun 4.
His test result came back positive for COVID-19 on Jun 5 and he developed a sore throat on the same day. His serology test result is pending.
The other case was a 10-year-old Singaporean student at Endeavour Primary School. Identified as Case 64066, he was last in school on May 18.
He is a family member and household contact of three other cases, and a household contact of another case. The boy was quarantined on May 25, and tested for COVID-19 on Jun 4. He developed a cough on the same day.
His test result came back positive for COVID-19 on Jun 5, and his serology test result is pending.
There are now seven cases in this cluster.
NEW CLUSTER LINKED TO 82-YEAR-OLD RETIREE
A new cluster was identified on Sunday. It is linked to Case 63931, an 82-year-old Singaporean retiree who was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Jun 1.
The new COVID-19 case linked to this cluster was a 79-year-Singaporean woman, who is a retiree. She is a family member and household contact of Case 63931 and a household contact of a 29-year-old Indonesian maid who tested positive for COVID-19 on Jun 2.
The 79-year-old woman was placed in quarantine on Jun 1. She was tested on Jun 2 and her test result was negative. The woman was asymptomatic and was detected when she was tested again on Jun 5. Her serology test result is pending.
NTUC FOODFARE CLUSTER
A 50-year-old Chinese national who works as a machine operator at Xinghe Knife Sharpening Service was among the community cases reported on Sunday.
He is a family member and household contact of a 39-year-old Chinese national who works as a kitchen assistant at NTUC Foodfare at 308 Anchorvale Road. The 50-year-old man was placed in quarantine on Jun 2.
The man was asymptomatic and was tested for COVID-19 on Jun 4. His test result came back positive for COVID-19 the next day and his serology test result is pending.
There are now 12 cases in this cluster.
MCDONALD'S DELIVERY RIDERS CLUSTER
A 29-year-old Malaysian man who works as a delivery rider at Pizza Hut (Bukit Merah) was linked to the McDonald's delivery riders cluster. He lives at Wanderloft Capsule Hostel.
The man underwent both an antigen rapid test and polymerase chain reaction test at a clinic on May 22. Both results were negative.
As he was identified as a close contact of six previously confirmed cases, the man was placed in quarantine on the same day.
He was asymptomatic and was detected when he was tested on Jun 5 during quarantine. His serology test result is pending.
TAN TOCK SENG HOSPITAL AND PASIR PANJANG TERMINAL CLUSTERS CLOSED
The clusters at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and Pasir Panjang Terminal were closed on Sunday after no new cases were linked to them for 28 days.
The cluster at TTSH - Singapore's only COVID-19 cluster at a hospital - had 48 cases, while the cluster at Pasir Panjang Terminal had five cases.
IMPORTED CASES
Six Singaporeans and six permanent residents who returned from India were among the 14 imported cases reported on Sunday.
The remaining cases were a work pass holder who arrived from Myanmar and a short-term visit pass holder who arrived from Indonesia to visit her Singaporean family member.
All imported cases were tested while serving their stay-home notice or during isolation.
OVERALL INFECTION NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED: ONG YE KUNG
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said overall infection numbers over the last seven days have dropped further from the past week.
"We are heading in the right direction because of the contribution of everyone," said Mr Ong, adding that it was "encouraging" to see that the number of unlinked cases has also fallen.
Overall, the number of new cases in the community has decreased from 136 cases in the week before to 116 cases in the past week, said MOH.
The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased from 23 cases in the week before to 17 cases in the past week.
Of the 168 cases reported from May 31 to Jun 6, 59 cases have tested positive for their serology tests, 79 cases have tested negative and 30 serology test results are pending.
United Square Shopping Mall at 101 Thomson Road was added to the list of public places visited by COVID-19 community cases during their infectious period. It was visited on May 27 from 11.25am to 12.10pm.
Twenty-two more COVID-19 cases were discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, bringing the total number of recoveries in Singapore to 61,635.
There are 207 cases still in hospital. Most are stable or improving and two cases are in critical condition in the intensive care unit. Another 321 cases are isolated and cared for at community facilities.
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As of Sunday, Singapore has reported a total of 62,196 COVID-19 cases and 33 fatalities from the disease.
TESTING OPERATIONS IN HOUGANG
In an update on the testing operations in Hougang Avenue 8, MOH said 1,413 residents of Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8 and staff members working in shops in seven neighbouring blocks were tested.
The seven neighbouring blocks are: Block 511 Hougang Avenue 10; Blocks 681, 683 and 684 Hougang Avenue 8; Block 682 Hougang Avenue 4; and Blocks 685 and 698 Hougang Street 61.
As of 5pm on Sunday, 1,396 people were found to be negative for COVID-19 and another 17 test results were pending, said the Health Ministry.
A total of 3,212 visitors to Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8 and to the seven neighbouring blocks have also been tested, of which 2,330 people were found to be negative for COVID-19 and 882 more test results are pending.
Mandatory COVID-19 testing for residents and visitors to Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8, as well as shop employees at seven nearby blocks, started on Friday.
READ: One COVID-19 case found after completion of mandatory testing at two Hougang blocks
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