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SINGAPORE: The COVID-19 cluster linked to a K-9 police unit has risen to seven cases, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Tuesday (January 19), after another close contact tested positive.
The Health Ministry reported four new COVID-19 cases in the community on Tuesday, and one was linked to the group of K-9 units.
Case 59428 is an eight-year-old Singaporean student from Chua Chu Kang Primary School who had last attended school on January 15.
He is the son of two previously confirmed cases, cases 59365 and 59393, both linked to the K-9 group of units. He was quarantined after being identified as a close contact of his father, who was confirmed to be infected on January 16.
The boy was sampled the same day and tested negative for COVID-19, the Health Ministry said, adding that “therefore, there is no risk of transmission to students with whom he had previous contact.”
However, he developed a fever on January 17 and was re-examined at KK Children’s and Women’s Hospital.
The second test gave a positive result. His serological test was negative, indicating a possible current infection.
FIRST REPORTED INFECTIONS
On January 14, a para-vet – Case 59280 – in the K-9 police unit was reported as the only community case for that day.
According to the Ministry of Health, the para-veterinarian developed a fever on January 11 and visited a general medicine clinic the same day, when he was tested for COVID-19.
The 32-year-old Singaporean stayed home on medical leave until his test result came back positive on January 13 and was taken to the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID). His serological test was negative, indicating that it was likely a current infection, the Health Ministry said.
Close contacts identified by the para-vet, including family members and coworkers, were isolated and quarantined, with tests at the beginning and end of their quarantine periods to detect asymptomatic cases.
On January 15, police said that three of their officers who were in close contact with the para-vet had been quarantined.
READ: 3 SPF officers quarantined, 25 police dogs negative for COVID-19 after para-vet tested positive
Twenty-five police dogs that had interacted with the para-vet two weeks before he showed symptoms also tested negative for COVID-19, police said.
On January 16, the Ministry of Health reported that the veterinarian’s wife tested positive for COVID-19. The 28-year-old, Case 59347, had been in quarantine since January 13.
He developed symptoms of an acute respiratory infection on January 14 and was tested for the coronavirus. Her result came back positive the next day and was also sent to the NCID. His serological test was negative.
The woman works as a prison staff officer in the Singapore Correctional Service but does not interact with inmates, the Health Ministry said. She mainly worked from home during this period.
JANUARY 17: TWO MORE LINKED CASES, IDENTIFIED CLUSTER
On January 17, the Health Ministry reported that a 44-year-old Singaporean man working as an administrative officer in the police K-9 unit had COVID-19.
The administrative officer, Case 59365, developed a dry throat on January 7, prior to the onset of symptoms by the vet, but had not sought medical treatment, the Health Ministry said.
The administrative officer was examined on January 15 as part of special test operations at the para-veterinarian’s workplace. His result came back positive on January 16 and he was taken to the NCID. His serological test was negative.
After the administrative officer was confirmed to have COVID-19, on January 16 the Health Ministry contacted one of his family members, a 44-year-old Singaporean woman, as part of contact tracing efforts. .
The woman, Case 59387, is a homemaker and was tested for COVID-19 on January 16 when she reported developing a fever and chills on January 9, as well as loss of smell and taste on January 13. sought medical treatment, the Health Ministry said.
Her test result came back positive on January 17, and she was transferred to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. His serological test was negative.
JANUARY 18: THE CLUSTER GROWS TO 6 CASES
Two new community cases of COVID-19 were reported in Singapore on January 18, both members of the administrative official’s family.
Case 59393 is the man’s spouse, a 43-year-old Singaporean woman who is a homemaker, while the other is a 66-year-old Malaysian woman, Case 59395, who has a long-term visitation pass. Both developed symptoms, such as diarrhea and loss of taste, but had not sought medical treatment.
They were identified as close contacts of the administrative officer and the Ministry of Health contacted them on January 16. They were tested for COVID-19 when they reported their symptoms, and the test results came back positive the next day.
Both women were taken to hospitals by ambulances, with case 59393 at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and case 59395 at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
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