Two weeks and a 70-fold increase: a look at the COVID-19 outbreak in the dormitories of Singapore’s foreign workers

SINGAPORE: What contributed marginally to Singapore’s COVID-19 situation has quickly become the source of most infections: of the 4,427 cases here, more than 2,600 can be traced to the dormitories of migrant workers.

On Thursday (April 16) 728 new cases were reported, with 654 of the infected living in workers’ residences. The number of bedrooms with infections has increased to more than 25.

Graphs from the Ministry of Health show that cases among work permit holders and dormitory residents began to increase from April 1, even as the number of infected in the community subsided and imported cases fell to zero: There have been no imported cases in Singapore for a week.

Before April 3, there were only 38 cases in workers’ dormitories. The number is now 2,689, a 70-fold increase, and among work permit holders who don’t live in dormitories, 218 have been infected, according to the Health Ministry situation report on Thursday.

READ: Singapore reports a record 728 new COVID-19 cases, mainly from foreign worker dormitories

INTERACTIVE: All COVID-19 groups in dormitories and construction sites.

Reports of infections among migrant workers came as of March 30, when 35 new cases of COVID-19 were detected in 24 hours. That day, the S11 @ Punggol bedroom was named a new group with four cases.

Another new group in the Westlite Toh Guan dorm was announced the next day, and a third in a dorm at 55 Sungei Kadut Loop on April 1, the day the total number of cases in Singapore reached 1,000.

It only took 10 days for that number to double to 2,000, and three days to exceed 3,000 when the number of infected in dorms skyrocketed.

BEDROOM LOCK

Since January 23, when the first case of coronavirus was reported here, the Ministry of Human Resources (MOM) has advised dormitory operators to establish preventive measures against COVID-19.

Human Resources Minister Josephine Teo related some of these measures on Tuesday, saying they had contacted dorm operators to be more vigilant.

“The materials were produced in the workers’ native languages ​​to encourage them to also take steps to protect themselves,” he said.

“Subsequently, nonessential facilities such as gyms and TV rooms were closed. Meals and recreational hours were staggered. Mixing between blocks stopped.”

READ: Dorm operators must take additional measures to minimize the risk of transmission of COVID-19: MOM

Still, the NGO Transient Workers Count Too warned of the risk among the group in a forum letter to the Straits Times on March 23, citing the lack of safe distance and company policies that penalize workers for not showing up at the job.

After three more groups were found in the dorms on April 4 and cases assembled into previous groups, stricter measures were implemented.

S11 @ Punggol and Westlite Toh Guan were declared areas of isolation on April 5, putting nearly 20,000 migrant workers in quarantine.

READ: COVID-19: Nearly 20,000 foreign workers quarantined in Dorm S11, Westlite Toh Guan

MOM also said its officers were working “24 hours” with dormitory operators to “prioritize worker welfare” as reports of unsanitary conditions and overcrowding emerged in closed dormitories.

On April 7, a dedicated task force was formed and the military and police forces were cordoned off to help MOM and dormitory operators care for workers, most of whom must remain in dormitories 24 hours a day. 7 days a week.

When asked why no measures were taken earlier, Ms. Teo said on April 9 that it was not a “trivial decision” to implement such measures, before there was evidence that they were necessary.

READ: Interagency Task Force to Assist Migrant Workers Living in Dorms Affected by COVID-19

The increase in cases continued unabated when Singapore switched to “circuit breaker” mode last Tuesday.

Why was there this sudden flood of cases? While there have been cases among foreign workers before, this time, the speed and range of transmission was on a different scale.

While working, mainly on construction sites, or meeting outside for social activities, the virus had spread among them; They then took him back to the dorms, where some live for 10-12 years in one room and share bathrooms, kitchens, and common spaces.

READ: COVID-19: Fighting fear and boredom, migrant workers grapple with isolation in dormitories

READ: Conditions in 2 more bedrooms under ‘stabilized’ insulation: MOM

“Workers from different dormitories on their days off can also get together. They can socialize and shop at popular places like Mustafa (Centro), ”said Ms. Teo on Tuesday.

Back in the dorms, these workers can cook, relax, or eat with another group of friends, he said.

“Despite safe measures of distancing, the virus in the bedrooms spread through social activities just as it would spread among housemates, friends and in the community,” he added.

This may explain why large numbers of workers who tested positive for COVID-19, many from Bangladesh or India, emerged in some dormitories after March, Ms Teo said.

MUSTAFA CENTER IN EL PUNTO

A group at the Mustafa Center is believed to have played a role in this explosion of cases, with the spread of the coronavirus likely accelerated by the reduced housing of the workers.

Last week, Health Ministry director of medical services Kenneth Mak told reporters that preliminary investigations found that the groups at the Project Glory construction site and five bedrooms were linked to the Mustafa Center group.

Other groups at construction sites have been linked to bedroom groups. They include a renovation site at the National University Hospital, construction sites, and industrial buildings.

Many of the workers had very mild symptoms and continued to work, leading to delays in testing, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said April 9.

“Therefore, it is very likely that the spread of the virus has been circulating for some time in the dorms, and now we are looking at all the indicators,” he said then.

That day, when Singapore reported 202 new cases of COVID-19 in dormitory groups, Mr. Wong said a specific strategy for the outbreak in workers’ dormitories was needed.

READ: “Dedicated Strategy” to Break the Spread of COVID-19 in Dorms, Including the Housing of Healthy Workers in Army Camps

Safe distancing measures have been implemented in the dormitories, and thousands of workers are being examined and then transferred out of the dormitories to places such as vacant flats, floating hotels, and military camps.

The rapidly evolving situation meant that the authorities also implemented measures in rapid succession to control the outbreak.

As migrant workers celebrated the Tamil and Bengali New Year on Tuesday, Ms. Teo elaborated on measures taken to contain the spread of the virus in the bedrooms.

Dorms with COVID-19 groups are being “locked” to minimize interaction between workers, who are being screened to isolate the infected. Medical teams made up of doctors and nurses from hospitals and polyclinics are also being deployed in the dormitories.

In other bedrooms, the goal is to prevent groups from forming by forming a strict safe distance.

Essential workers have moved so they don’t have to move in and out of dorms on a daily basis, or interact with dorm residents. With more room in the dorms, workers who are not well or are waiting for the results of their swab tests can be housed separately.

READ: India’s Top Personalities Send COVID-19 Messages to Singapore’s Foreign Workers

COVID-19: Bangladesh worker, whose wife gave birth while critically ill, moves out of ICU

More infections were detected in more bedrooms in the coming days. As of Thursday, S11 Dormitory is the largest group in Singapore with 979 cases.

More than 25 bedrooms are affected throughout the island, and most are specially built, of which there are 43 that house some 200,000 workers. Most of the factory-converted dorms have not been affected, Ms Teo had said.

Ten more bedrooms have been isolated: Toh Guan Dormitory, Sungei Tengah Lodge, Tampines Dormitory, Cochrane Lodge I, Cochrane Lodge II, Tuas View Dormitory, Mandai Lodge, North Coast Lodge, Shaw Lodge and Acacia Lodge.

Testing has intensified, Professor Assoc Mak said Tuesday, and high-risk workers who are asymptomatic, such as those who share a room with confirmed cases, are also being evaluated.

These extensive tests have also contributed to the increase in numbers, and Professor Assoc Mak said this does not necessarily imply community transmission.

It also means that the number of bedroom cases, and in Singapore in general, will likely continue to rise in the coming days before stabilizing.

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