[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MINSA) said on Thursday (December 31) that it would begin “special test operations” to screen those who boarded the vessels on which two COVID-19 cases recently worked.
Port pilots, marine surveyors and ship repair workers will also be tested for the coronavirus “in the coming days,” the Health Ministry said, regardless of its routine testing program.
“The relevant authorities will also review the need to tighten our precautionary measures for these workers,” the ministry added.
The two COVID-19 cases referred to by the Ministry of Health comprise a marine inspector at Lloyd’s Register Singapore and a PSA marine port pilot.
The Marine Surveyor, a 46-year-old permanent resident of Singapore, works aboard vessels at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard.
The port pilot is a 55-year-old Singaporean who lives at PSA Marine at 70 West Coast Ferry Road, whose job is to board vessels to navigate congested waters.
NEW FAMILY GROUPS
The port pilot tested positive for COVID-19 on December 30 after routine tests conducted on December 28. He was taken to the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID) in an ambulance, the Health Ministry said.
His serological test result was negative, indicating that he probably had a current infection. His previous tests of the listed routine tests had come back negative, with the last one being done on December 12.
“He stays in Marine Crescent and frequently visited relatives who stay in a neighboring block,” the Health Ministry said of the port pilot.
“It was revealed that on December 13, he had visited Parkway Parade with seven other people.
“Investigations are being carried out to assess whether there was any breach of the security management measures in force,” the ministry added.
Two of the port pilot’s relatives were among the community cases reported Thursday: a 79-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man. They are both Singaporean and reside in Marine Crescent.
“On December 28, both cases developed symptoms of acute respiratory infection but did not seek medical treatment,” the Health Ministry said.
Both were quarantined on December 30 after being identified as close contacts of the port pilot.
“Since they were already symptomatic, they were taken to NCID in ambulances and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 infection,” the MOH said.
Relatives of the previously reported marine surveyor were also among the community cases Thursday.
One case is that of an independent florist who works from her home on Ghim Moh Road. He is 46 years old and a permanent resident of Singapore. The woman was identified as the marine surveyor’s contact on December 29 and was placed in home quarantine the following day. That same day, she developed symptoms and was taken to NCID in an ambulance. His test result came back positive for COVID-19 on December 31.
The other case related to the marine surveyor is that of a 14-year-old Raffles Girls’ School student, also a permanent resident of Singapore. She was identified as a close contact on December 29 and was placed in home quarantine on the same day as the florist. She was taken to NCID on December 30 and tested, and the result was positive for COVID-19 the next day. That same day, he began to develop symptoms.
The student’s last day at school was December 23.
All those identified as close contacts of the cases, including family members and co-workers, have been isolated and quarantined, the Health Ministry said.
READ: Singapore Reports 5 Community Cases of COVID-19, Highest in 4 Months; 30 new infections in total
Singapore reported 30 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, five of which were community infections. This is the highest number of community cases reported in Singapore in approximately four months.
The last time Singapore reported more than five community cases was on August 30, with eight community cases.
Of the new cases reported on Thursday, 25 were imported and given a stay-at-home notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore. Of the imported cases, five are Singaporean or permanent residents, while nine are foreign domestic workers.
SINGAPORE MOVES VACCINES
Singapore began its COVID-19 vaccination exercise on Wednesday, and health workers from the National Center for Infectious Diseases were the first to receive the vaccines.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires two injections, given 21 days apart. Those who receive the first dose on Wednesday are scheduled to return for their second dose on January 20 of the next year.
READ: NCID nurse becomes first person in Singapore to receive COVID-19 vaccine
READ: ‘The COVID-19 vaccine gives me the assurance that I can go home safely with my children’: NCID nurse
Later, the vaccines will be extended to more health institutions.
This will be followed by vaccinations for the elderly, starting with those 70 and older, starting in February. Thereafter, other Singaporeans and long-term residents who are medically eligible for vaccines can do so.
The vaccine will be free to all Singaporeans and long-term residents, including long-term work permit holders.
On Monday, the country entered Phase 3 of its reopening after a “circuit breaker” period to slow the spread of COVID-19. Social gatherings of up to eight people are allowed in this phase and sports such as basketball, soccer, sepak takraw, hockey and volleyball can now be resumed in a 4v4 format.
As of Thursday, Singapore has reported a total of 58,599 COVID-19 cases.
CHECK 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
