Singapore reports 3 new unlinked COVID-19 cases in community, including promoter at ION Orchard
An exterior view of ION Orchard at Orchard Road. (Image: Google Maps)
SINGAPORE: Singapore reported three new COVID-19 cases in the community as of noon on Friday (Jun 11).
All three cases are currently unlinked, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update.
The three, which were detected through surveillance, are a promoter at ION Orchard's Guardian outlet, a janitor at Raffles City Tower and One Raffles Quay, and a sea crew member on tugboat Marina Ariel.
MOH said that including the Guardian promoter, ION Orchard now has three workers who had tested positive. The cases are being investigated.
To "break any potential chain of transmission and enable deep cleaning of the premises", the mall will close for four days starting Saturday, MOH added.
The mall will reopen on Jun 16.
READ:Â ION Orchard to close temporarily after three workers test positive for COVID-19, free tests for visitors between Jun 3 and Jun 11
THREEÂ UNLINKED CASES
The Guardian promoter is a 57-year-old Singaporean woman, listed as case 64135.
She developed a dry throat on Monday but did not seek medical attention. She subsequently developed an ear ache on Thursday and sought treatment at a polyclinic, where she took an antigen rapid test (ART) and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
Both results came back positive on the same day. Her serology test result is negative.
The janitor is a 50-year-old Singaporean woman who is employed by Campaign Complete solutions and listed as case 64139.
She is asymptomatic and was detected when she was tested on Thursday as part of surveillance testing for mall cleaners.
Her test result came back positive for COVID-19 on the same day, while her serology test result is negative for the N antigen, suggesting the presence of early infection.
She received her first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on May 1 and the second dose on May 29.
The sea crew member is a 38-year-old Indonesian man who is employed by Marina Offshore and listed as case 64149.
He developed a fever on Monday but did not seek medical attention. He then developed a loss of smell and taste on Wednesday, and subsequently a headache and chills on Thursday. He reported his symptoms on the same day, and was taken to a hospital and tested for COVID-19.
He had not disembarked from the vessel before that.
His test result came back positive for COVID-19 on Friday, with his serology test result still pending.
IMPORTED CASES
There were also six imported cases, who had been placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore.
Among them were three Singaporeans and two permanent residents who had returned from India and the US.
The remaining imported case was a special pass holder who is a sea crew member. He had arrived from Indonesia on a vessel and was tested on board.
No new infections were reported in migrant workers' dormitories.
In all, Singapore reported nine new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
READ: Singapore eases COVID-19 restrictions in two phases: What is allowed and when
PUBLIC PLACES VISITED BY CASES
Ang Mo Kio MRT station and the Guardian outlet at ION Orchard were among the places visited by community cases during their infectious period.
MOH's full list of new locations is as follows:
MORE CASES DISCHARGED
The ministry said 34 more COVID-19 cases had been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 61,799 have recovered from the infection.
A total of 133 cases are still in hospital, most of whom are stable or improving, with one patient who is in critical condition treated in the intensive care unit. Another 279 are isolated and being cared for at community facilities.
Overall, the number of new community cases has decreased from 139 cases in the week before to 36 in the past week. Unlinked cases in the community have also fallen from 23 cases in the week before to nine in the past week.
Among the 87 confirmed cases reported from Jun 5 to Jun 11, 49 cases have tested positive for their serology tests, 30 have tested negative and eight are still pending.
READ: Working from home to remain as default; Jobs Support Scheme extended for certain sectors
UPDATE ON HOUGANG AVENUE 8 TESTING
MOH on Friday also provided an update on the mandatory testing at various Housing Board blocks in Hougang.
A total of 4,384 visitors of Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8 as well as residents and visitors of seven neighbouring blocks had voluntarily stepped forward for testing, it said.
All were found to be negative for COVID-19.
Block 506 was on Jun 3 identified as a new COVID-19 cluster, prompting authorities to conduct a second round of testing there.Â
UP TO 5 IN A GROUP ALLOWED FROM JUN 14
Singapore will ease restrictions on group sizes for social gatherings from Jun 14, allowing five people in a group, up from the current two.
Five distinct visitors per household daily will also be allowed as Singapore begins to ease restrictions after a fall in the number of COVID-19 community cases, the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force announced on Thursday. Â
READ: Singaporeans aged 12 to 39 can register for COVID-19 vaccination from Jun 11
READ: COVID-19 antigen rapid test kits for self-testing to be 'sold by pharmacists' from Jun 16: MOH
Social gatherings should be limited to no more than two a day, as part of the first step in Singapore's plan to move back to Phase 3 (Heightened Alert).
More restrictions will be eased in the second step from Jun 21, when dining in can resume if the COVID-19 situation remains under control in the coming weeks.Â
As of Friday, Singapore has reported 62,245 COVID-19 cases and 34 fatalities.
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