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Singapore’s Covid-19 hospital cluster, reinfected migrant workers and ‘viral shedding’ – causes for concern? Singapore’s financial district skyline is seen reflected in a lotus pond on April 28. Photo: EPA
After months of reporting few if any locally transmitted cases, Singapore has in recent weeks seen reinfections among migrant workers who had previously recovered from Covid-19, as well as reports of people catching the coronavirus despite being vaccinated against it.
A new infection cluster emerged in a public hospital this week involving 13 health care workers and patients, while seven other local cases have been linked to an airport immigration officer.
The Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble may not start if the threshold of a seven-day moving average of five or fewer unlinked community cases in either city is breached.
Responding to a question about how the recent spike in community cases here may affect the travel bubble, which will allow quarantine-free travel between the two cities from May 26, Education Minister Lawrence Wong said yesterday that Singapore will continue to apply the mechanism of the seven-day moving average, as agreed by both parties. If it starts, but along the way the threshold is breached, then it may well be suspended, said Mr Wong, who is co-chair of the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19.
SINGAPORE - Singapore is tightening rules on social interactions in a bid to tackle the growing number of Covid-19 cases in the community.
This means stricter limits on the number of people who can be present in malls, attractions and large standalone stores, with residents urged to have no more than two social gatherings a day.
From 11.59pm on Saturday (May 1), the country will also bar all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who have been in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the last two weeks.
The number of new community cases has increased to 35 cases in the past week, from 10 cases in the week before, with the first Covid-19 hospital cluster growing to 13 cases.
Four wards in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) have been locked down following the detection of a cluster of 13 cases there. - The Straits Times/ANN SINGAPORE, April 30 (The Straits Tinmes/ANN): Four wards in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) have been locked down following the detection of a cluster of 13 cases there.
Singapore expects to detect more Covid-19 cases linked to this cluster in the coming days, and may take more stringent measures should widespread transmission be found, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Friday (April 30).
He added that all public places visited by the cases during the time they were likely infectious will be closed for two days for cleaning. This will help reduce the chance of the virus spreading from undetected cases in the community, and also help facilitate the testing of staff, Gan said.
SINGAPORE - All long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who have been in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the last two weeks will no longer be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore, Education Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Friday (April 30).
This move, which kicks in from 11.59pm on Saturday, also applies to those who had transited through these countries and who had obtained prior approval for entry to Singapore.
But returning Singaporeans and permanent residents who have been to these countries will still be able to enter Singapore, said Mr Wong, co-chair of the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19 , who was speaking at a virtual press conference.