550 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in Singapore; large cluster identified at Chinatown Complex

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 550 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections as of noon on Saturday (Sep 11), comprising 486 community cases and 64 dormitory residents.

Among the local cases, 145 are seniors above 60 years old, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Two more large clusters were identified, including Chinatown Complex with 44 new cases.

This brings the total number of infections linked to the cluster to 66 - comprising 58 stallholders and assistants, four cleaners, one safe distancing ambassador and three household contacts of workers.

The other large cluster is PCF Sparkletots Braddell Heights, located at 335 Serangoon Avenue 3. There are three new cases and a total of 22 infections linked to the cluster. 

Transmission at the pre-school took place among students in the same class, with further spread to household contacts of cases, said MOH.

Saturday's number of local infections is a slight dip from the 568 cases reported the day before, breaking a chain of five consecutive days of increases. 

TESTING FOR STAFF AT CHINATOWN COMPLEX

Chinatown Complex will be closed to the public until the end of Sep 15 to break any potential chain of transmission and enable deep cleaning, said MOH.

All staff working at Chinatown Complex will be tested for COVID-19. 

Those who checked in with SafeEntry from Sep 8 to Sep 11 will be issued health risk alerts. These people are "strongly encouraged" to go for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test as soon as possible and to reduce their social interactions for 14 days, said the Health Ministry.

For those who visited Chinatown Complex but did not receive a health risk alert, free testing will be extended to them as well.

Members of the public who were at Chinatown Complex between Sep 8 and Sep 11 are advised to monitor their health closely and minimise social interactions for 14 days from their date of visit. They should see a doctor immediately if they feel unwell.

OTHER LARGE CLUSTERS

MOH said it is "closely monitoring" 14 large clusters with new cases, which were ringfenced through tracing, testing and isolation.

Seventeen cases were each added to the COVID-19 clusters at 30 Sunview Way construction site and Sembcorp Marine Tuas Boulevard Yard.

Six more cases were added to the largest of the bus interchange clusters, at Toa Payoh. It now has 210 infections linked to it in all.

Apart from the local cases, five imported infections were reported on Saturday, taking Singapore's daily count to 555.

HOSPITALISED CASES

As of Saturday, 708 patients are warded in hospital. A total of 35 are cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation. Seven are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

Of those who are very ill, 33 are above 60 years old.

Over the last 28 days, the percentage of unvaccinated people who became severely ill or died was 4.6 per cent, while that for the fully vaccinated was 0.8 per cent, said MOH.

VACCINATION PROGRESS

Giving an update on Singapore's vaccination progress, MOH said 81 per cent of the population have completed their full vaccination regimen as of Friday. Eighty-three per cent received at least one dose.

Singapore has administered more than 8.8 million doses under the national vaccination programme, covering 4.5 million people, of whom 4.4 million have completed both doses.

Another 176,732 doses of other vaccines recognised by the World Health Organization's emergency use listing have been administered, covering 86,561 people.

As of Saturday, Singapore has reported a total of 71,167 COVID-19 cases.