202 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore, 3 new clusters identified in Woodlands
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Monday (June 29) said that it had identified three new clusters of Covid-19 infections in Singapore — all located in foreign worker dormitories in Woodlands.
They are at 38 Woodlands Industrial Park E1, 210 Woodlands Industrial Park E5 and 170 Woodlands Industrial Park E7.
Earlier, MOH had announced 202 new cases of Covid-19 in the country. Of these, six were community cases and the remaining 196 infections were foreign workers staying in dormitories. The total number of cases in Singapore now stands at 43,661.
Of the six community cases, four are Singaporeans and the remaining two are work permit holders.
Among the four Singaporeans, MOH said that one had already been identified as a contact of a previously confirmed case and is already quarantined. Two others were detected due to the health ministry’s proactive surveillance of people working in the dormitories or deployed to the frontline of Covid-19 operations even though they were both asymptomatic.
“Epidemiological investigations are ongoing for the remaining case.” MOH said, adding that the two work permit holders were swabbed as they work in essential services or at the dormitories.
Besides the polymerase chain reaction test, MOH said that it had also conducted serological tests to determine if some of these community cases are current or past infections.
“The serological test results for (two cases) have come back positive, which indicate likely past infections. The test results for the remaining cases are pending,” MOH said.
Overall, the health ministry said that the number of new cases in the community has increased from an average of four cases a day in the week before to an average of seven in the past week.
It added that the number of unlinked cases in the community has also increased from an average of two cases a day in the week before to four in the past week.
“We will continue to closely monitor these numbers, as well as the cases detected through our surveillance programme,” MOH said.
MORE PLACES VISITED BY PATIENTS WHILE INFECTIOUS
MOH on Monday added five more locations — among them the Causeway Point mall in Woodlands and a durian stall in Geylang — to a list of public places that had been visited by Covid-19 cases during their infectious period.
The ministry said that the infectious patients had visited:
Everyday Spa at 94 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh on June 19 between 8.15pm and 9.15pm
Siam Square Mookata at 155 Bukit Batok Street 11 on June 21 between 6pm and 7pm
Causeway Point at 1 Woodlands Square on June 22 between 12.15pm and 12.45pm
Durian 36 at 608 Geylang Road on June 23 between 8.30pm and 10.15pm
Sheng Siong Supermarket at New World Centre on June 24 between 9.45pm and 10.30pm
MOH said that it would have already notified those who had been identified as close contacts of the confirmed cases.
"As a precautionary measure, persons who had been at these locations during the specified timings should monitor their health closely for 14 days from their date of visit," the ministry said.
"They should see a doctor promptly if they develop symptoms of acute respiratory infection (such as cough, sore throat and runny nose), as well as fever and loss of taste or smell, and inform the doctor of their exposure history."
Members of the public do not need to avoid places where confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been, MOH said.
TESTS CAME BACK NEGATIVE FOR CLOSE CONTACTS OF EAST SPRING SECONDARY STUDENT
Separately, MOH said that it had announced on Sunday that a student at East Spring Secondary School had tested positive for Covid-19.
As a precaution, 39 students and 11 staff who had been in close contact with the student have been put on leave of absence or on home quarantine.
“They have been tested for Covid-19, and their test results have all come back negative,” MOH said.
UPDATE ON THE REMAINING CASES
In all, MOH said that 37,985 people have fully recovered from the Covid-19 infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community care facilities, including the 477 on Monday.
There are currently 197 patients who are still in hospital. Of these, most are in stable condition or improving, and one is in critical condition under intensive care.
MOH said that 5,453 patients are isolated and cared for at community facilities. These are those who have mild symptoms, or are clinically well but still test positive for Covid-19.
Twenty-six people have died from complications due to Covid-19 infection.
