Another cleaner, aviation officer among 3 more workers at Changi Airport to test positive for COVID-19

SINGAPORE: Three more workers at Changi Airport have tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the Ministry of Health (MOH) to conduct “special testing operations” for all staff members working in Terminals 1 and 3 as well as Jewel, the authority said on Saturday (May 8).

The workers include a cleaner, a safety coordinator and an aviation officer. Two of them were fully vaccinated.

The three new cases at Changi Airport come after an 88-year-old cleaner who works at Terminal 3 tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

“Given the recent cases who work at Changi Airport, as a precautionary measure MOH will commence a special testing operations for all staff working at Changi Airport Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, and Jewel,” MOH said.

READ: Japanese restaurants at Tampines Mall, Parkway Parade and Causeway Point KFC among places visited by COVID-19 cases

SECOND CLEANER DEPLOYED AT CHANGI AIRPORT TERMINAL 3

One of the three new cases is a 47-year-old cleaner who works at Changi Airport Terminal 3.

Identified as Case 62940, the work permit holder is employed by Ramky Cleantech Services and asymptomatic.

He is the second cleaner from Ramky Cleantech who works at Terminal 3 to test positive for COVID-19 this week.

His infection was detected when his pooled rostered routine test came back positive on Wednesday, said MOH.

He was taken to the National Centre of Infectious Diseases (NCID) the next day, and an individual test was done. His test result came back positive for COVID-19 infection on Friday.

His earlier tests from routine testing – the last being on Apr 21 – were all negative.

“His serology test result has come back positive but we have assessed that this is likely a recent infection,” MOH said.

He is fully vaccinated, having received his first dose on Jan 29 and the second on Feb 19.

SAFETY COORDINATOR, AVIATION OFFICER

Another case linked to Changi Airport Terminal 3 is a 33-year-old safety coordinator employed by Shimizu Corporation and deployed there.

Identified as Case 62942, the Singaporean man was tested for COVID-19 as part of rostered routine testing on Tuesday.

He developed a fever after work on Wednesday and visited a general practitioner clinic the next day, where he was tested for COVID-19.

His test result came back positive on Friday, as did his pooled routine rostered test result, and he was taken to NCID. His serology test result has come back negative, MOH said.

“His work does not entail interaction with passengers,” MOH said.

The third new case linked to Changi Airport is a 57-year-old Singaporean man who works as an aviation officer at Terminals 1 and 3.

Identified as Case 62945, the officer's work entails screening departing and transiting passengers.

MOH said that he was tested for COVID-19 as part of rostered routine testing on Wednesday and developed a sore throat in the evening but did not seek medical treatment.

He went to work the next day, and his sore throat worsened.

On Friday, his pooled test result came back positive for COVID-19, and an individual swab was taken, MOH said.

The individual test result came back positive on the same day and he was taken to the NCID in an ambulance. His last routine test on Apr 23 was negative.

The man was also fully vaccinated, having received his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on  Jan 14, and the second dose on Feb 4.

The three new cases linked to Changi Airport are among the seven COVID-19 cases reported in the community on Saturday. There were also 13 imported cases reported on Saturday.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram