New COVID-19 clusters at Tampines Bus Interchange and IMH; 147 new locally transmitted cases in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 147 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections as of noon on Monday (Aug 30), including two new clusters linked to Tampines Bus Interchange and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

Of the new locally transmitted cases, 52 were unlinked, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update.

Fifty-three infections were linked to previous cases and had been placed in quarantine, and another 42 linked cases were detected through surveillance testing. 

Among the new cases, one person is above the age of 70 who was unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, and at risk of serious illness, said MOH.

There were also eight imported cases, taking Singapore's daily tally of infections to 155.

CLUSTER AT TAMPINES BUS INTERCHANGE 

There are now eight active clusters involving bus interchanges across Singapore, with 46 new cases linked to them. 

The latest bus interchange cluster, at Tampines, had four new cases, taking the total number of infections linked to it to 11.

The cluster linked to staff at Boon Lay Bus Interchange had 15 cases added to it, taking its total to 31 infections.

Eighteen cases were added to the cluster at Toa Payoh Bus Interchange, which now has 70 infections. 

Three cases were added to Jurong East Bus Interchange, taking its total to 24 cases. The cluster at Punggol Bus Interchange grew by four cases to a total of 29. Bishan Bus Interchange added two cases, taking its total to 26 cases.

IMH CLUSTER

Four new cases were linked to IMH, forming a cluster of six infections. 

IMH said in a media statement on Monday that the six cases involved two staff and four patients in two adjourning wards.  

The affected wards have been "buttoned-up", with visits, admissions and discharges suspended until further notice, said IMH.

FIVE IN CRITICAL CONDITION

A total of 441 cases are currently warded in hospital as of Monday night. Five cases were in critical condition in the intensive care unit and 19 cases of serious illness needed oxygen supplementation, said MOH.

Of those who have fallen very ill, 15 are above the age of 60, of whom nine were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

Over the past 28 days, the percentage of unvaccinated who became severely ill or died is 9.3 per cent, while that for the fully vaccinated is 1.3 per cent.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has increased from 240 cases in the week before to 723 cases in the past week, said MOH.

The number of unlinked cases in the community has also increased to 91 cases in the week before to 173 cases in the past week.

VACCINATION RATE

As of Sunday, 80 per cent of Singapore's population has completed their full vaccination regimen or received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, while 83 per cent has received at least one dose.

More than 4.3 million people have completed the full vaccination regimen under the national vaccination programme.

In addition, 166,142 doses of other vaccines recognised in the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing have been administered, covering 85,584 individuals.

Singapore has reported a total of 67,459 COVID-19 cases as of Monday.